Master of Yin
by Sui Megami
Summary: The lesson of Yin and Yang. Darkness and Light. Jak's old friend Krew has a few more suprises left behind in his will that will, as usual, cause trouble. Rated for suggesting themes and language.
1. Contradiction

Bijin: Alright! I know I phail at life, but I can't help it! I know I should be working on Focus of a Mind or... Dream and Nightmares... or... I dunno... something I already have going! But I finished this story and I enjoyed it enough to go ahead and post it.

Plus since it is finished, it shouldn't experience any delays in getting it posted. I hope to post a chapter a day for the next little while. The story is 10 chapters and an epilogue, so it shouldn't take too long. I enjoyed writing it.

_**THIS IS AN OFFICIAL SPOILER ALERT! IF YOU HAVE NOT FINISHED THE STORY OF JAK X: COMBAT RACING, THEN THIS **_

**_STORY WILL SPOIL IT FOR YOU. EITHER GO FINISH THE GAME OR WATCH THE SCENES ON YOUTUBE. THANK YOU._**

Ah-hem! So... yeah. This takes place several months after the events of Jak X. Let Master of Yin begin! Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 1: Contradiction**

A sack. It was a simple sack. Nothing too outstanding about it. A typical wastelander sack. Small strings of burlap woven together to form a bag of sorts, tied off at the top, most commonly made and used only within the confines of Spargus city. Sig regarded it with a raised eyebrow.

"This is it?" he inquired dully.

Jak met his quirked eyebrow with one of his own. "What did you expect, the lost Precursor legacy? I just collect what I see. I'm not an archaeologist." Large arms crossed over a built chest. "Besides. You gave me a time limit. Kleiver will kick my ass if I'm out past it lately. You two are so paranoid." Daxter yawned from his spot on Jak's shoulder-guard. Jak was a smaller, and yet overbearing young man. Wide shoulders carried atop a thin yet built frame. T-shirt hugged tightly across his chest and a thick jacket draped overtop. Pants also hugged his legs, however, were thick and lined with pockets and heavy seams. Heavy boots- which seemed to make his footfalls sound heavier than he was- stretched up his calves, pants tucked inside. Ever-present goggles and headband sat upon his brow, red mask having been removed from his mouth moments before.

"The sands weren't even picking up." Daxter argued. "But Jak brought us back anyway."

"Don't sound so down, Chili pepper." Sig countered, his lax speech holding something akin to a chuckle. "Unless you want your boy here killed, you'd better mind those limits. A lot of people have been looking for you lately, Jak. Mizo wasn't the only guy you pissed off in the races." Sig himself was no pushover either. The leader of Spargus city and long-time friend of Jak's, Sig was a large heavy figure. Wrapped almost beyond recognition of his true figure, Sig was covered in armor, helmet tapering into an eyepiece covering his right eye. Old pants and boots had been replaced for weight training, and he stood as a powerful juggernaut.

"I'm used to that type of attitude, Sig. But still. Back when we were fighting Errol, I wasn't this restricted." Jak complained, his eyebrows now bent into a scowl, much akin to a child arguing over curfews with a parent. The difference in size between the two of them seemed to matter very little to Jak.

"Maybe not, but you do realize that a lot more people are after you now. With all those appearances on tv during the races, your face got plastered a lot more places. And something tells me Rayn has some unfinished business with you." Sig looked down and settled back into his throne, looking distractedly at the small bag of artifacts.

Daxter suddenly perked up. "Crime Lord or not, I'd love to do business with her." He smirked, his tongue flicking within his mouth in a quiet growl. A large hand came up, palm smothering the small ottsel's face as Jak spoke again.

"Well sure, but there's rarely been a time in the last few years when someone didn't want me dead. I'm used to it. And I like my freedom. You keep this confines shit up and we're gonna have a problem." He growled, pointing a finger at Sig. "I'm out. See ya." With that, and a pair of small teeth on Jak's palm, the elf headed toward the rickety elevator which lowered him to city level.

Daxter yawned as Jak's form carried them away from the head building and into their own little apartment not too far away. His feet plodded them through the door, quickly locking it behind them, then headed for their shared bedroom. He plopped onto the bed, Daxter flopping down next to them, both simultaneously deciding to call it a day. "Jak?" Daxter requested, cozying himself against Jak's side much like a cat would. A grunt was his only answer. "Can we go home?" He rolled onto his back and stared at the ceiling, dreamy look entering his large black eyes. "I do so miss my Naughty Ottsel... and my bar."

Jak didn't say anything, his eyes closing and a doze overtaking him.

* * *

"Jak...?"

The call was quiet, faint... as though tears waited on the edge of each word.

A coppery, disgusting taste was lousy in his mouth, the smell of whatever he tasted was all around him, and the sight... A dull sheen covered everything, cloth a deeper color than it had been, puddles of the same littered the ground, and upon his own large hands and claws the same substance covered. Like a mouse investigating from its hole, a female stood nearby, her face contorted with terror and intense concern.

"Jak...?" She repeated.

He stared at her for a long time, his mind feeling somewhat numb, as though he hadn't used it in a while. His mouth was slacked open, half to attempt to relieve the awful taste, half to perhaps make some form of noise, though nothing came from his raw throat. He looked to his hands, fisting them gently, feeling the warm sticky substance he was covered in, though could not see. His lips formed a single silent word, and he fell.

* * *

"Jak!"

Pale blue eyes flew open and stared into small black orbs. The small furry creature had clambered upon his chest and had taken some firm grip of his ears, shaking them. "Wake up already!"

His form heaved itself into a sitting position, and he glanced around. "Daxter? What's going on?" There was a dull pounding sound in the back of his mind, his hand rubbed his temple to relieve it.

"You sleep much, Jak? Jeeze! I was about to check for a pulse!" Daxter cried, throwing his small gloved paws into the air. He swung around and pointed at the wall, where a low-pitched beeping was whining at him.

Groggy, Jak pulled himself off of the couch, where he had obviously slept, and wandered to the side, kicking aside the few cups which littered the carpet along the way. Large hands slammed down on the beeping device and a very bleary, "Hello?" was the response to whoever on the other end had sent the tone.

"Damnit!" Roared a deep voice from the other end. "I've been trying to get ahold of you for twenty minutes, cherries!"

"Sig?" Jak murmured.

"Listen, kid, you've got some guests who seem rather impatient up here. Get up to the throne room now."

Jak raised an eyebrow at the communicator. Some odd sounds had been in the background, heavy clinking of metal and dull clicks of metalic armor scraping as its wearer moved. Low murmuring of voices through communicators. Jak raised an eyebrow and turned, Daxter's small body being the first thing he laid eyes on. The small ottsel had adopted a general pose of both imatience and disgruntlement, paws crossed over one another, weight thrown to rest on one leg, and tail twiching with agitation.

"What?"

"Where did you go last night?!" He demanded angrily.

"Huh? Where did I...?" He scratched his head. "Far as I know, I didn't go anywhere."

"Yeah you did! You just got up and headed out. I asked you where you were going and all you said was 'out'. You were gone for six hours!"

Jak allowed his hand to brush his scalp again. "Um... I don't remember doing that. Maybe I was sleepwalking."

"Whatever. Just hurry up. Sig sounded pretty pissed off." His nose twitched. "Did you shower while you were out?"

Jak rolled his eyes. "I told you, I have no ide- hey!"

The small animal had quickly grabbed his leg, climbing up his side, switching to his back, then clambering onto his shoulder before sticking his face into Jak's short yellow-green hair. He gave a great inhale, making an eyebrow raise above Jak's left eye. "Your hair smells like shampoo."

Though he didn't remember showering, it certainly didn't seem in his interest to remain there and answer the barrage of questions Daxter would undoubtedly unleash were he to admit that fact. He shrugged. "Yeah, I must've. Let's go. Sig sounded urget."

The walk over to the throne room was rather quiet, the two having their own reasons for not kicking up a conversation; Daxter's suspicions, and Jak's own curiosity. Daxter must've been dreaming. Though the fact that he had fallen asleep on the bed and woken up on the couch certainly seemed odd. Either way, he made his way to the lift, which quickly shot him to the first floor, coming to an odd sight.

There were at least five Krimson Guard officers present, a few talking rather laxly with Sig, and the others watching the area Jak stood in, as though waiting for him. He took a few cautious steps in as those watching his position drew the others' attention to him. Sig waved him over, and he stepped through their ranks, a suspicious look in his eye. The Krimson Guard hadn't bothered with him in over six months. Why would they suddenly come investigate his home? As he took his place beside Sig, the seeming leader of the officers stepped foreward.

"Jak? You've been summoned back to Haven City by her Emenince Ashelin. Both she and Officer Torn have something of top urgency to discuss with you."

"We're going back to the city?" Jak asked incredulously.

His shoulder bounced with Daxter's small victory dance. "We get to go back! We get to go back!"

"What's happened?" Jak requested.

The guard shook his head. "Don't worry about that. Everything will be explained once you get there. But you need to come with us immediately."

One of the side guards gently took hold of his shoulder and urged him toward the door, though Jak protested for a moment, looking to Sig. "Wait... Sig? Are you... what's happening?"

"Don't worry. I've talked to Torn and Ashelin already. Spargus will survive a little while without you." Sig assured him, waving his hand.

Jak smirked, but he did not allow himself to be lead away just yet. "But what about our stuff? It's still in the apartment."

The guard who seemed to consistantly urge his shoulder foreward, in hopes that the rest of his body would follow, spoke in response. "Your things will be moved at a later time. Sig has agreed to have a few officers here work on getting it all packed."

Jak sighed, and shrugged, pulling back to look at Sig one last time. "Oh! Sig! About my apartment... make Kleiver do it." A wicked smile overtook his lips as he was lead away and Sig couldn't help but chuckle as he watched them vanish down the lift.

"Well, they said they'd send for him when they had more information." His smile faded. "I hope things go better this time."

* * *

Bijin: Well... yeah. There it is. Hope you enjoyed it. If you did, tell me! If you didn't, tell me! Lemme know what you think. See ya!

**Next Chapter: Home**


	2. Home

Bijin: Alright, chapter two. Um... yeah... not too much to say, really. It'll start picking up at the end of this chapter, trust me. XD Anyway, enjoy.

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**Chapter 2: Home**

"Jak!!"

The enthusiastic greeting flew from the vocals of Jak's blue-haired significant other, the young mechanic throwing her arms around his middle and plastering her head to his chest, hanging on as though he would vanish if she let go. Jak gave a smile, though his mentioning of her name seemed a little less flambuoyant. The tone with which he uttered her name was soft, a happiness behind it which boardered on intimate. "Keira."

Jak looked over Keira's head to smile at Ashelin and Torn, both of whom waved at him. The control room was just as he remembered it. Walls of computers lined the circular room, a large curved table sitting in the center, displays dancing about above the keyboards and radar screens. The two waving elves stood on the far side of the table, alongside one another as always, Torn bent over a particular screen, and Ashelin standing a mere foot or so away from him. "Good to have you back, Jak." The male of the two offered, looking up from his screen.

Jak smiled. "It's good to be back. Six months is way too long."

"Yes, and we're sorry our reunion wasn't under more plesant circumstances, but we have discovered a problem involving Rayn." Ashelin intoned, placing a hand on the keyboard infront of her.

Daxter rolled his eyes and tossed a small hip from Jak's shoulder guard. "Of course. You wouldn't summon us back for something good... like a party... with drinks... and amazons." A sly smile curved fuzzy lips.

"Rayn?" Jak cut in, his mind wandering instantly back to the Kras City races where the group had raced for their lives, literally. The woman was the unexplainable daughter of Krew, a famous Haven city crime lord, though she was unlike her father in many ways (mostly her looks and weight) her passion for being a crime boss was certainly something she inherited. It was only after they had helped her become such a powerful Crime Lord that they realized how much like her father she truly was. "What's happened?"

"Well... Tess found something interesting at the Naughty Ottsel a few days ago." Torn began.

Daxter hopped from Jak's shoulder, then quickly bounced onto the circular table. "Where is my Tessy-poo, anyway?" He inquired, amazons suddenly forgotten.

"She's at the Naughty Ottsel. She's running it, after all." Keira chuckled, her position against Jak's firm body not moving at all. Daxter pouted for a moment, then quickly frolicked away to the nearest communicator, as though the news of his return could wait no longer. Jak and Keira, however, seemed perfectly comfortable to remain in place, Keira holding tightly to him, and Jak's cheek resting softly upon her head. Jak looked down at the computer directly in front of him.

"What did she find?"

Ashelin pulled a small item from right beneath the table, handing it across to him. Keira and Jak separated enough for Jak's hand to grab the item and bring it in to examine it. It was a small piece, of what looked like slate, hand-written carvings etched into its surface. "Handwritten? That's not something you see much of these days. What is it?"

Torn and Ashelin exchanged a look, then Torn stared straight at him. "The handwriting was identified as Krew's. We're not quite sure what it is, but we have a suspicion that it may be an unaccounted for section of Krew's will that was never presented to us. And it describes something we were afraid of... A weapon."

"A weapon?" He perused the piece he held.

"A weapon?" Daxter called from across the room, Tess' holographic face gaining a rather dazed expression. "A weapoooooooon..." He hummed. His mind instantly went to how he would mount the weapon on the Naughty Ottsel's already trophy-filled walls. Jak rolled his eyes as Daxter resumed his conversation and he looked back to the slate piece.

_- side is incredibly powerful, the ideal weapon which will shoot you to the top of the heap in Haven City. This weapon is easily strong enough to withstand an entire army. With this in your posession, it should be easy to make whatever moves you require. The mark-_

"It looks like it was broken into pieces." Jak muttered, turning the slate piece over.

"It was. We've looked into it. According to Vin, it is a specific type of device used in safety issues. Slate is a little old-fashioned for it, but it is sometimes used. It involves the pieces of a whole." Jak raised an eyebrow at Ashelin's cryptic explination. She shrugged and continued. "It's like an activation key. But it's made so no one else can learn to use whatever device it activates." Jak stared at her. She sighed. "Alright... basically... it's a complex way to make sure the device cannot be de-activated or controlled. Basically a mechanical lock is placed in a flat piece of stone. Or any hard material, really. The lock is a mechanism that keeps the device turned off. It cannot be turned on until the lock is taken off. Directions or even just a simple note is written on the stone. Once finished, the stone is broken into pieces and the lock is broken. The device will remain active until those pieces are brought back together again."

"Like a puzzle." Jak suggested.

Ashelin nodded. "The breaking of the directions assures that no one but the original owner can know how to use the device. Someone has done exactly this, and we have a feeling, that if it was from Krew, Rayn is most likely behind it. The only thing is, we have no evidence it is her. Either way, whatever this weapon is, they have broken apart the directions, and consequently the will, to make the weapon only their own. We need your help to hunt this thing down and destroy it."

Jak smirked. "Sounds good to me. Time for a little payback for Kras City. But where do we start looking?"

Keira piped up now as Daxter turned his communicator off and wandered back to his partner. "Well, we could always search for the other pieces of the will. If we can figure out what it is they are using or maybe even how they are controlling it, we may have a chance at stopping this before it gets too big."

Daxter crawled up Jak's body, seating himself upon the lone shoulder guard. "Well, where would we start looking?" He inquired, his question just vague enough to make it appear as though he had been paying attention to the background conversation. Jak knew better however. It was too far outside Daxter's character for him to consider anything's existance save for Tess' when they struck up conversation. The question was a generic one, used when suggestions of placement were brought up.

"Well, there's always the Naughty Ottsel." Jak waved his hand around.

Daxter's furry paws clapped together, the leather gloves slapping the only sound which issued. "Yeah, yeah! I like that idea!"

Torn shook his head. "We searched that place top to bottom the day that Tess found it. Even if we hadn't, I'd be fairly confident that there's nothing there. Whoever is behind this doesn't want anyone else touching the weapon, or they wouldn't have used this type of device. They wouldn't be foolish enough to hide more than one piece in a single location." Daxter pouted.

"Can we, uh... go search it anyway?" The ottsel pleaded, asking Jak more than anyone else.

"You guys should probably head that way, though." Ashelin cut in. Daxter's ears perked happily. "We can't be sure what we want you to do until we have more information. We're going to contact our people in the slums and near the port to start looking for clues. You guys should hang out at the Naughty Ottsel until then. We'll call you when we have a job for you."

"Great... waiting." Jak rolled his eyes as Keira grabbed his hand and hauled him toward the door.

Daxter bounced happily on his shoulder. "Aww, come on, Jak! We'll have fun! Party time! The Naughty Ottsel is open for business!" The doors slammed shut behind them, Daxter's cry of, "Amazons, too!" floating back into the room. Torn gave Ashelin a wary look.

Ashelin raised an eyebrow. "What?"

Torn looked back at the computer. "Couldn't you have given him some kind of errand?"

Ashelin blinked at him. "There's nothing for him to do at the moment. He's our best agent. We need to save him for the important stuff. Things like simple errands are wasted on him. Why?"

"Ashelin... have you ever seen Jak's other side?"

Ashelin paused, giving Torn her own wary look. "No. Only heard about it. Where did this come from?"

"There's a reason we sent him to the wasteland after the incident last time. Jak needs to be kept busy. We've found that allowing his mind to move quickly and frantically seems to keep his dark side at bay. That's why racing is so good for him. His mind is moving so fast, that his other side is pushed away. When he's left alone- or has nothing to do- he is in danger of letting that side come out."

Ashelin rolled her eyes. "Why all the sudden caution? You weren't this cautious around him before. I'm sure he'll be fine for a single night."

Torn sighed, and nodded, prefering not to press the matter anymore. He had forgotten that Ashelin was unaware of the details six months past. He looked at the slate piece across the table from him. They had better get some information quick.

* * *

Jak yawned and shut the door, putting a hand to his head, and setting his glass on the table. The music downstairs pounded deeply in his chest as he sank into his bed. The night had been rather odd. The Naughty Ottsel had been wonderfully refurbished, as though Tess had been preparing it for Daxter's return. And Tess was the obvious perpetrator in the new decor as the walls now sported even larger pictures of Daxter's small frame, holding weapons that Jak himself would have difficulty holding up, let alone firing. A few pictures of Jak had been placed upon the walls as well, as though Daxter felt the need to pay some homage to his larger partner. Though by far the most disturbing thing about the new decor were the many odd markings and small bits of paper which were plastered to the wall and floor around his own pictures. Apparently while he was gone, his image had become something of an icon to- not the young men of the city wishing to be as strong as he, as he would have preferred- but the young women who wished nothing more than to perhaps mug him in the streets and take him home to perform acts he would rather not think on.

He shook his head again, trying to clear it. He was usually pretty good about holding his liquor, not easily intoxicated. He was a sturdy man, having been given things much worse in the prison to calm his aching body. Drinks there were hard shots, nothing to water them down, and his intoxication was the only thing which kept the pain away after torture sessions in which he screamed the loudest. Drinks at the Naughty Ottsel were legal, tasteful drinks, alcohol content much lower than other things he was used to. And he only remembered Tess filling his small glass once or twice, so why did he suddenly feel so dizzy?

A cry erupted from the floor beneath him, some drunken scream or perhaps a barfight? He shrugged, too exhausted to think about it at the moment. Not bothering to change, he flopped into the bed and pulled the covers up and over. Sleep would not come, however. Perhaps it was the pounding music which denied him sleep. Though he hoped that was not the cause. Daxter's party would stretch into the wee hours of the morning at least. If that was the problem, he was stuck. Though perhaps also it was the pounding in his head, a dull throbbing ache right at his forehead. Perhaps also it was the lack of the small ottsel's presence against his side, or weight upon his chest. There were very few nights when Daxter did not cozy up against or upon him, offering the ever present comfort of his closest friend. He shook his head. Daxter wasn't a security blanket. The thought left his head.

A doze fell over him, his desire to fall to sleep overcoming his mind's reluctance and allowing the two impulses to settle on a neutral doze, his consciousness still clinging to his body by a thread. A presence was felt at his side, though no words could he make out, as though they were drowned by the quieter music below. A blue-haired figure blurred in the darkness, and he slept.

* * *

Security was lax. They should've known better. He was huddled among the new recruits up to see the infamous crime lord, Li. A reputation was built upon power and beauty, two attributes of the woman. Petty theives and large burly men were packed into the warehouse, arcade games flashing back and forth across the walls, skateboarders rolling up and down curled platforms. Smoke was heavy in the air, cigars and cigarettes passed among young and old, though they only seemed to be responsible for half the smoke. The other half almost appeared as though it came with the terriory, must eeking in from the surroundings of Haven City's industrial section.

He nodded to the man at the door, who didn't give him a second look. His thick body weaved in and out of the recruits, making his way toward the back. His eyes ran over the layout, attempting to find the most likely location for the infamous woman. Balconies three stories up lined the walls, staircases leading down to ground level. Doors were perched along every level, meaning a rather tedious process if he opted to look completely on his own. He sighed and sauntered up to a rather large man guarding one of the few stairways leading to the balconies. A hand was placed forcefully on his chest.

"Not back here, minor league. You can go have fun with the other kiddies, kay?" He grumbled, a smirk on his face, as though he found it humorous the man had even attempted to move upward. Newcommer chuckled for a split second before shoving a small metallic disk at the man's face.

A sword, whose hilt was emblazoned with precious jewels, and whose blade melted into a blue teardrop at the tip.

"I've got a message for your girl... head case." He paused to let the meaning of the emblem sink in. "Mind showing me where she is?"

The burly guard sddenly seemed less confident. "Why don't... you give me the message, and I'll be sure it gets to her, tattoo boy."

The newcommer's smile vanished. He took a step closer. "You know... these orders come from my mistress herself. And I don't think she'd take kindly to that attitude. Step aside, or I remove you."

The guard seemed to consider it for a few long moments, glancing furvitively to a few of the other large men nearby, who quickly averted their gaze, as though deeming the emblem itself quarantine. Finally, he was permitted upstairs, to one of the many rooms which lined the half-halways along the balconies. The door was opened, the smell of both male and female body spray washed over him powerfully, and he squinted in the cloud of cigar smoke to see who was inside. There were possibly four people laughing within, one small and the other three rather large and burly. One figure moved to sit at the desk across from the door, and the others swarmed to surround it.

The smoke cleared, and he stopped. The name Li was assumed to spike her reputation, meaning beauty and powerful. There was nothing about her to deny such a description. Long black hair fell into her face, and was brushed behind her ear, waving down her back like a river. Thin body was wrapped, not scantily, but with clothes that easily showed off every aspect of her luscious form. Shirt drew up to her neck, a hole stemming from the neckline to droop near her breasts. The shirt was ragged, and looked old, having lost the shimmer of its silk long ago, though it still seemed to suit the woman. Pants also were old. Dark demin had been patched to the point beyond recognition of their original state, though clung tightly to her thighs and buttocks. A thick belt had been clicked around her hips, and large boots sat on her feet as she propped them against the desk before her. She tossed her cigar to the side, and looked at him with seductive black eyes.

The other forms in the room happened to be large hefty men, all of them wearing only denim jeans as though to suit the crime lord's fancy. Two had taken up places on either side of her, and one stood near the door, regarding him with an odd stare.

"Well... we have a hot one coming in today." She drolled, her voice husky as she gave him a hungry once-over. "Those are some interesting eyes you've got."

He gave a countering smile and approached the desk. "I come here on behalf of my mistress." He stated simply, his own smirk curving his lips.

Li gave a laugh. "Another crime lord I would assume. They wouldn't have let you up here if it weren't for that." Her hand was lightning fast when it shot up to grab the front of his shirt. "A body like yours should be working in my employ." She whispered, drifting her face close enough for their breath to mingle.

A finger plastered itself upon her lips, gently moving her face away. He smiled again, almost taunting her in her inability to have him. His fingers bent, gently caressing the side of her cheek. "It seems such a waste." He whispered. The hand moved quickly. It wrapped tightly around her neck.

* * *

Bijin: Dun dun dunnnnn... Alright, enough of that. Cratique or whatever, I dun mind either one. Lemme know what you think.

**Next Chapter: Uncertainty**


	3. Uncertainty

Bijin: Okay, moving right along with chapter three. I promise things will get interesting. XD Not too much to say here... but enjoy.

* * *

**Chapter 3: Uncertainty**

It started as an aggrivating buzz, then formed into a voice.

"Jak! Jak, will you wake up?!"

Pale blue eyes shot to attention, his body shooting itself into a sitting position once again. "Buh?"

Keira sat at his side, two hands on his chest as she shook him awake. "Torn's freaking out! He wants you to get to the meeting room immediately!" Her nose twitched. "Did you shower already? And why are you sleeping on the couch?"

Jak swung his legs over the edge of the sofa and put a hand to his head, rubbing it down his face and giving her a bleary look. "What time is it?"

"It's after eleven, and did I mention Torn's going to have your head if you aren't in the meeting room in ten minutes?" She cried, standing and throwing her hands into the air.

"Where's Daxter?" He pushed, his bleary mind not comprehending much of anything she said at the moment.

Keira gave him a dull look and tossed something small and furry into his lap. Jak glanced down to find it was none other than the object of his inquiry, sleeping soundly even after the tossing. "He drank too much last night. I couldn't wake him up."

"Augrafs latr prees." Daxter mumbled his front limbs twitching feebly.

Jak wrapped his large hand around Daxter's middle and lifted the limp creature up to his face as though to examine him more closely. Keira grabbed the two sides of Jak's face and forced it to look up at her. "Jak! Torn. Breathes. Death!"

Jak pulled away and waved at her with his free hand before standing and stretching, Daxter flopping around with the movement as he was still clutched in Jak's hand like the handle of a tote bag. "What's going on?"

"I'll explain on the way, let's go! Torn's pissed!" Her small hands took firm hold of Jak's arm and began hauling him across the room and toward the exit. He was dragged roughly down the stairs, his feets' fumbling barely enough to keep him upright, then across the large main hall of the Naughty Ottsel.

Tess, who's small furry body was sprawled across the bar-top, shot a small paw up as they ran by. "Welcome to Naught-Ottsel! Drink Frumeez Wine... it's perple."

Jak raised an eyebrow at her as they ran by, then gave a look to Keira for an explination. "Same as Daxter. They were up till five or six this morning drinking. It got a little crazy." She gagged as Jak's strong form suddenly stopped itself in the doorway. "What are you doing?! Did I mention Torn is going to kill you?"

Jak glanced from side to side, then placed a hand to his head, forehead pounding heavily. "Wait... need coffee."

"No coffee, Jak!" Keira insisted, grabbing him again and shoving him into the passenger seat of a three-person zoomer. As they drove away, a protesting cry came from the seat beside her.

"Cooffeeeee..."

Keira glanced over at him as he leaned an elbow on the side of the zoomer and placed his forehead in his hand. "Soo..." She began stupidly, glancing to the road again, then back to him. "Where'd you go last night?"

"Go?" Jak repeated. "I went somewhere?"

Keira nodded. "You looked a little wasted last night when you went up to bed, so I followed you up, but when I asked you what was wrong, you just mumbled a little bit, then left."

Jak sighed. "Sorry. I think I may have had a little too much to drink."

"Can't hold your liquor much, eh?" Keira chuckled. "I saw Tess fill your glass once or twice, but you were looking pretty out of it."

Jak shrugged. "I had a pretty bad headache. I think the liquor made it worse." Though his experience with alcohol had been the reverse with regards to aches and pains, he was just trying to avoid argument. He leaned his cheek on his fist and stared at the pavement as he went by. A dream. That was what caused the odd feeling in the pit of his stomach and made him long for a cup of coffee to chase it away. A dream which now escaped his memory. The feeling in his gut certainly made him wonder if perhaps he was fortunate to not remember its details. He finally pushed it from his mind and allowed himself to doze. His eyelids weighed upon him as though they had not been permitted sleep for days.

Jak gave another yawn as the doors to the meeting room shifted open, giving a bleary look in at Ashelin and Torn. "Do you guys ever sleep?" He inquired grumpily.

"Where the hell've you been? I've been calling for over an hour!" Torn cried angrily, rounding the table, and taking an intimidating step toward the light-haired elf.

"I've been sleeping." Jak mumbled, putting his free hand to his eyes, then pointing his index finger toward the angry leader. "You should try it sometime."

Torn scoffed and grabbed a fistful of the front of Jak's shirt, dragging him over to the table, Keira following timidly behind. Jak brought his Daxter-laden hand up to rub at his forehead, the ottsel still flopping limply around like a piece of thick rope. He was silent now, though drool had begun to seep from his lips. "We've got trouble, Jak."

"Yeah; I missed my coffee this morning, asshole." Jak murmured.

"Care to repeat that?" Torn challenged. Jak raised an eyebrow and stared at him for a second, not saying anything, and the KG leader continued. "There was a massacre last night. Five bodies were found in an old warehouse in the water slums. One of them was a crime lord."

Jak perked up.

"A crime lord named Li." Torn continued. "The government's been trying to track her down for years. Whoever did this was an insider. We suspect it was done by another crime lord."

Jak raised an eyebrow. "What makes you say that?"

In his hand, Daxter stirred and glanced from side to side, a heavy hangover causing him to ask, "What're you guys doin on the ceilin...? Careful up there... chandeliers're viscious." With nothing more than that, he wormed his way out of Jak's hand and began making his way up to sit on his shoulder.

Jak paid him no mind, and looked to Ashelin, who spoke after scanning a small flat device. "Well, the crime lord Li was dead, as were her personal guards and one of her loyals. All the others were gone. This hints that whoever killed the crime lord was looking to convert her operators. And there were no signs of a struggle in any other room besides the room where she was staying. Whoever killed her didn't go after anyone else. And the only person who would want to convert a crime lord's people is another crime lord."

Torn looked to Jak. "We want you to go to the warehouse and give us your take on the matter. Look at the bodies, look at the room. You have knowledge of these things. We want to know what happened in a general sense at least."

"Was Li a big target for other crime lords or something?" Jak inquired, his coherentness coming slowly back to him. Daxter flopped over his shoulder, laying his stomach upon the shoulderguard and letting his front paws dangle near Jak's chest.

"Kind of. Her main draw was the number of people she commanded. She had, for all tenses and purposes, an army. She was known for being incredibly beautiful, seductive, and had a way with words. By being something of a slut, she gained hundreds of men, young and old, to work for her. She dealed mainly in petty theft, but her beauty also gave her manpower. I have a feeling that the manpower was what drew the other crime lords to her. But her manpower was never valuable to have another lord risk toppling her, but someone seems to have suddenly done it in a single night." Ashelin muttered, looking through the file, then plopping it back onto the table.

Torn looked back to him and gave him a serious look. "Go and investigate the warehouse. I want as much information as you can give me. The KG will be around later to do a proper investiagtion, so try to keep your hands off, but I want you to do an initial investigation."

Jak nodded, and turned, heading out.

They reached the warehouse in a relatively short span of time, Jak's erratic driving easily stirring Daxter from his hung-over nap. Jak's driving could certainly not be described as life-threatening, but it was not for the faint of heart either. While he was a master at the wheel, his aversion to stopping at any point made for a heart-pounding ride. Strategically placed taps on the breaks, and sudden excelerations mixed with rapid changing of hover zones and well-timed jumps made him easily the most skillful and terrifying driver in Haven City.

Jak hopped from the zoomer and glanced up at the warehouse. It was indeed old, though it was holding up rather well, the worn wood standing strong against the tests of nature. Daxter placed a paw to his nose. "Agh... what is that smell?" he inquired, groaning. He sat upon Jak's shoulder, his tail curling in revulsion, hooking under the edge of Jak's shoulder guard. "I didn't think anyone but Krew was capable of producing this kind of smell."

Jak rolled his eyes. "The smell is probably what alerted Torn and the others in the first place. They said no one knew where Li was hiding, so I assume someone complained about the smell and stuff happened." There definately was a stench in the air, though he figured Daxter was much more sensitive to such smells than he was. The stench was one he found oddly familiar; blood. He wasn't sure when his familiarity with the smell had become so acute, but he definately knew it. The large doors creaked open, smoke and the smell flooding outward as he walked in. The room was aglow with various arcade games, dim lamps lining the walls, and low lights lining the skate-boarding areas. Daxter's ear twitched slightly, and he turned, his tongue dropping from his mouth as he grabbed Jak's ear and yanked his attention to the side.

"I hear dripping over there, and I have a feeling I know what it is." Jak's feet carried them to the side, toward the wall, and there at their feet was a small puddle of red, drops of the same falling to make it larger from directly above. "Up there." Daxter grumbled.

Jak quickly scaled the balcony, only using stairs half the time. They reached the last landing, Jak's footsteps stopping suddenly, and his eyes drawing wide at the body which lay just before the stairs, blood trailing in a small river beside his feet. He shuddered and looked up to see a second body. This was of a female. Li, Jak assumed. She indeed lived up to her reputation. Her beautiful body was laid upon the ground, rather delicately, blood pooling from a large gash in her middle and dripping over the edge of the balcony. Stepping over the body at the top of the stairs, he approached and knelt by the dead crime lord.

"Looks like her neck was broken." Jak mused, her head laying at something of an odd angle from her body.

"Then what's that for?" Daxter asked bluntly, pointing at the large bloody gash through her middle. "Decoration?"

Jak gave his partner a look, then glanced up a little. "If her neck was broken, that was obviously what killed her. No one's going to break the neck of a dead person. So why slit her gut?" His eyes roamed the area, glancing at the metal railing, then at the floor and walls nearby. "No sign of a struggle that I can spot. She was probably killed elsewhere, then brought out here."

"Jak...?" Daxter muttered, yanking on his ear again. Jak stood and turned, staring at the doorway which lead into the next room. Protruding from the lax door was a long muscular arm, the body attached to it laying within the room. Blood was pooled upon the old carpet beneath it, and Jak was slow in his approach. Daxter vacated his shoulder before he went in, complaining of the smell once more. Jak pushed the door aside and glanced in. The room was a mess. He quickly hopped over the arm in the doorway, and ran his eyes over the room. The desk had been overturned, papers lying all over the blood-soaked floor.

His stomach lurched as the look and stench assaulted his senses. In the opposite corner sat a body, leaning against the wall, blood pouring from a rather large gash in the neck down a naked chest and soaking denim jeans. The arm in the dorway belonged to a second body who lay against the wall next to the opening, his arm at an odd angle from his body. His tribute to the blood on the floor was due to two small holes in his forehead, laceration marks crisscrossing his chest and back. Jak had to step to the side to see the third body in the room, which sat limply behind the large double bed. The comforter had been slashed, cotton dotting the matress, and one of the bed's four pointed posters had been soaked in blood, a matching hole in the body's stomach.

Jak took a step back, glancing at the blood-spattered walls, taking note of the many slash marks, the dents, and again the bodies. Holding his nose, he exited the room before turning the corner, collapsing to his knees, and vomiting.

Daxter groaned. "Aww man... I have to ride next to that breath you know!"

Jak looked up, wiping the back of his hand across his lips. "Thanks for the concern." he chuckled.

* * *

Jak sighed and took a long swig of his water before popping a mint into his mouth. Torn smirked from behind him. "I don't picture you as the puking type, Jak."

Jak's returning smirk was cuttingly sarcastic. "Why don't you walk in there, stare at three bodies and a room literally soaked in blood, and then come talk to me about holding down lunch?"

Keira snorted with effort to hold in laughter, and Ashelin took up a spot across from the two returned agents. "So what did you find?"

Jak looked to the floor. "Five bodies, like you said. Definately some odd things about the area. Though there were five bodies, there was only damage in one room. Three people were dead in that room, but it was when I got to Li that things started looking fishy."

"Fishy?" Torn repeated. "How so?"

"Well... her neck was snapped, but her stomach was split open. If her neck was snapped, why cut her again?"

"Maybe the neck was snapped after the cut was made?" Ashelin suggested.

Jak shook his head. "It's possible, but not very likely. Both moves were made to kill, and snapping the neck is the quicker and cleaner one to do. I don't understand why someone would do both." He paused. "There's the possibility that it was someone she knew. More heated passions like familiarity heat ut up and it gets more gruesome."

Torn shrugged. "Maybe, but not very likely. If this was someone she knew, they wouldn't have broken her neck at all. They would've just slashed her up like the others. The person who did that had purpose in what they were doing."

"The other thing was her body appeared to have been moved. She was laid on the balcony as though someone had picked her up and set her down there. Besides, there was no sign that anything significant hapened on the balcony. Not a thing was out of place." Jak shrugged. "And like you said, the place was deserted. Everything was still running... lights... arcade games... there was even still cigar smoke in there. It was like everyone stopped what they were doing and took off."

Torn placed a hand on his chin, then shrugged and put a hand on his agent's shoulder. "You up for another mission right off the bat?" Jak glared at him. "We think we have a hunch as to where another piece of Krew's note is." He wandered to the table in the center of the room, and threw a switch, a holographic display of a city map flaring to life above the monitors. "It seems that Krew did a lot of work at the pumping station. He hid several important items in the old pipes since it was outside the city walls where civilians and even KG officers refused to go. We think that if Rayn was the one to break the tablet apart, another piece may be stashed there. I want you to go to the pumping station and check it out."

Jak glanced to Daxter, who merely sat back, and crossed his arms. "As long as Jak turns the valve!"

Jak shrugged, and wandered toward the door, stopping as Keira took a stand between him and the exit. "Keira? What's wrong?"

Keira crossed her arms and smiled. "Not much. Just that I've decided to join you."

"Join me? You can't-!"

Keira placed a hand to his lips. "Oh come on. I've been sitting around building racecars for the past six months, and once you get back, you get thrown back into Torn's world. I want to spend time with you, so I'll accompay you on this."

"Keira, this is a mission. Not a walk in the park." Jak informed her matter-of-factly. He turned slightly. "Torn, come on. A little help?"

Torn had suddenly found something very urgent at the opposite wall to deal with, and so turned his back and appeared to be rather engrossed in it. Jak's eyes narrowed, and his gaze moved to Ashelin, who appeared to have spotted the same item, and went to assist her significant other. Jak sighed, and turned back to his own girl. Keira had fixed him with a rather satisfied stare. "It's not going to be dangerous since the metal heads have retreated to the wastelands, and the KG are our comrades now. What could happen?" Jak opened his mouth. "Besides. If anything did come around, I've got you with me." She cozied up to him, grabbing his arm and smiling up at him.

Daxter's large eyes lit up from Jak's shoulder. "Can we bring Tess?" He asked excitedly.

Jak swung his hand gently up to grab Daxter's head again. "I think not. I can only handle one ottsel chattering up there."

Daxter shoved the hand away as Keira began directing them to the parked zoomer out front. "Yeah... but think about it... you're considered the sex symbol of this city with only _me_ on your shoulder." He informed him, running his small paws along this ropey body.

"Sex symbol?" Jak repeated, a bemused expression overtaking his face.

Daxter pressed on. "Think about if you had both me... and the lovely Tess on your shoulder as well. You'd have to beat the girls away with a stick!" He made a small little jump in his imaginings. "The sexy over here... the sexy over there... it might even make you look attractive, Jak!"

Jak waved his hand. "I said no. You'll give me scoliosis if both of you sit up there at once." He stopped, turning his body and fixing him with a glare, a finger pointed sternly at him. "And if you call me a sex symbol again, you'll ride on Samos' shoulder for a week."

Daxter quickly set himself to pouting as Keira and Jak clambered into the zoomer, and they took off. The pumping station took a mere ten minutes to reach, Jak going out of his way to completely round the warehouse where Li had once operated out of, as though attempting to avoid infection from the area. They hopped from the zoomer, and walked quickly through the lumbering gates, their feet quiet in the soft sand. The pumping station had certainly gotten a little work over the months since the metal heads were driven out, the pumps looking a little shinier, though as usual, the minimum amount of repair had been performed, leaving a large section of the back half to remain rusting and unused. This was the area Jak made a beeline for. They rounded the large rocky cliffs, finding themselves before a large labyrinth of discarded pipes and broken down pumping systems.

Daxter raised an eyebrow at the mess. "We're supposed to look through that?"

"I suppose." Jak rolled his eyes as the ottsel hopped from his shoulder and vanished into the sea of rust and metal. Jak himself grabbed a few of the larger pipes and began searching them, tipping them to one side to shake out whatever may be held inside what little space they offered. "Torn's just trying to keep us busy. These aren't missions he usually gave to us. For some reason, he doesn't want me sticking around in one place anymore. Would be easier if he wasn't the only one I was working for, but now I think he's at a shortage on jobs and he's giving me whatever comes to mind. I had Sig doing that to me for six months. I wish Torn didn't do it as well."

Keira gave a small laugh. "Did you not enjoy your time in Spargus? Sig seemed happy to have you."

Jak shrugged, tossing a few pipes to the side, starting a 'searched' pile. "Yeah, it was alright. I missed the city, to be honest." He waved a hand. "Six months with Kleiver barking orders and challenging me on everything in existance that happens to run on four wheels is not my idea of a good time."

"Kleiver's that bad, huh?" Keira paused in her work to place a hand to her mouth, holding in a giggle.

Daxter's small round head popped out from amidst the rust. "It wasn't just that. He smelled terrible! The guy had an aversion to water or soap or something. I could always tell when he was coming around, cause the stench would hit me... and something on the inside... would die." He vanished again, small grains of crimson fluttering out of his fur as he went.

Keira sighed. "I wish it wasn't that long. I really missed you." She confessed, tossing another pipe off to the side.

"Yeah. I didn't really like it. This city is my home. My father's kingdom. I didn't like being away from it for so long." Jak muttered quietly. Keira remained quiet, her face solemn. Jak continued after a moment, moving more quickly through the mess. "I keep badgering Torn, but he won't give me anything."

"On what?"

"On why I was sent there." He paused, sitting back, and looking at his hands. "I know it was something... of an exile. They didn't want me here, but I have no idea why. I know I can be a jerk sometimes, but they sent me out of my home for six months." Keira took a seat beside him.

"You don't remember why?"

Jak shook his head. "No. I can't remember anything about it. I just remember Torn asking me a bunch of really vague questions about something rediculous, then he sent me away." He gave a long pause. "Though I still feel like whatever happened to make him do that... it was my fault."

Keira didn't say anything for a long time. She herself was completely privy to the reason for Jak's exile. But the truth was something of a secret. If Jak didn't already know... perhaps it was meant to be that way. "Jak... I don't think it's my place to tell you the details. But I will tell you this..." She placed a hand on his cheek, giving him a long look. "What happened was not your fault. And you can't blame yourself like this. I can't give you an explination, but... if you want to talk about it, let me know."

Jak sighed, then managed a weak smile. Hand wandered up to hook a hand around the back of her neck, pulling her close to press his lips to her forehead. "Thanks Keira."

Small orange ball popped from the wreakage again. "Hey! Save that stuff for a time when we aren't supposed to be doing a job! And you're making me nautious!"

Jak smirked, and suddenly pulled Keira back, leaning his own form over her smaller one, and placing his cheek to hers, smiling evilly. Keira giggled, placing one hand around his neck, and the other resting against his chest. A series of rather passionate and giggly calls erupted from the two of them for a moment before they sat up and laughed at Daxter's less than pleased expression. Jak pointed both index fingers at him. "Think about that the next time you and Tess decide to splatter the walls of the Naughty Ottsel with r-rated PDA." Keira leaned against Jak and laughed.

Daxter scoffed and vanished back into the pile of pipes, his voice floating up from beneath them. "When Tess and I do it, it's adorable. When you guys do it, it causes the same affect as Kleiver's bodily odor."

Jak sighed and stood, pulling Keira with him, and making his way back over to the pipes. The area was relatively quiet for a while, the only sound coming from the trio the sound of the clanking pipes as they examined and discarded each one. Small conversations sparked up here and there, though they were dry and generic, none really having the attention span to maintain said conversations. One in particular took Keira by surprise as the sun began its decent, and the air became cooler.

"You asked me about last night earlier." Jak began, his voice quiet. "To be honest, I have no idea where I went. I may have been drunk or something. But I do remember one thing..." Keira paused again to look at him. "It was a dream." She raised an eyebrow at him. "Well... I've had dreams like this before. I think... I think maybe it was a supressed memory or something..." He placed a rust-covered hand to his forehead. "It was dark, and all these people were around me... and suddenly I was attacking them. And even though I told myself to stop, I couldn't control my body. It was like I was someone else entirely." He looked up at her. "And every time I have that kind of dream... I wake up in a different place than I went to sleep. I think something may be wrong with me."

Keira sighed, straightened, and moved to another small area. "Jak... You were tortured in prison for two years. There are probably a lot of things that you saw in there that you would rather forget. I think your mind is still trying to heal. Give it some time." She gave a comforting smile. He certainly didn't feel comforted, but he feigned it as a small object shot from the large pile, a large gray sheet sitting upon its top.

Keira gave a shriek as it came toward her, jumping away, and taking a few tenacious steps about. Jak raised an eyebrow at it. It was a small reddish-black dust-bunny. Nothing discernable about it as it was entirely fuzz. "Daxter! What the hell did you chase out of there?" The small dust-bunny gave an indignant shriek as Jak stooped to grab the small item, lifting it up to glance at it. "Daxter...?" The small fuzzy creature was indeed Jak's smaller half, the ottsel's fur teased, rust-covered, and fluffed beyond any recognition. A glare was painted to large round, fur-obscured eyes.

"Asshole." Was all the ottsel growled. The gray sheet was held up to Jak's face. "You don't deserve this, you know you don't. I expect two drinks from you tonight."

Jak rolled his eyes, swiping the sheet from his paws and threw the ottsel back onto his shoulder. "No way. I'm cutting you off. You got way too drunk last night." He smirked at the gray sheet; a second piece of the note. "Nice job Dax."

Daxter had completely ignored this little compliment, as he was now rather engrossed in attempting to convince Jak that buying the ottsel some drinks was far better than the alternative. This convincing act involved Daxter's small ropey body draped over Jak's head, writhing about in his hair, rust and fur pouring into Jak's golden locks. Jak's eyes dulled, as though he was not at all surprised, and as if to give them something to do, stared dully at the giggling Keira. "Your hair doesn't smell so nice anymore!" Daxter taunted, continuing to writhe and rub his soiled fur all over Jak's hair. "Thank meeeeeee... I am the sexy beast that gets you the ladies, I let you stay at my place, **and** I just found you another piece of Krew's little letter! I deserve at least a Frumeze Wine!"

"I said no!" Jak reached into his hair, grabbed a handful of Daxter, and yanked him from his head, pulling the ottsel into his face and giving him a stern look. Daxter sighed, stuck out his lower lip, and stared at him, large black eyes liquid and pleading. Jak sighed. "Fine... One glass of Frumeze. One. Glass." Daxter perked up and dashed to sit on his shoulder again.

The trip back to City Hall was rather quiet, filled only with the occasional giggle from Keira at Jak's new hairstyle. The zoomer was parked, and they quickly ran into the building, impatient to get home after the long day of searching.

"My god, Jak. What happened to your head? You get attacked by a dust-bunny?" Torn chuckled.

Jak glanced to his shoulder, and handed the slate piece to him. "You could say that."

Torn chuckled again, perusing the slate piece, his face going instantly solemn. He called Ashelin over, and the two stared at it for a long moment before Ashelin picked up the first tablet they found, clicking the two pieces together. Two pieces found. The large section was slid across the table, allowing Jak to read what was contained upon the two pieces.

_-side is incredibly powerful, the ideal weapon which will shoot you to the top of the heap in Haven City. This weapon is easily strong enough to withstand an entire army. With this in your posession, it should be easy to make whatever moves you require. The mark should allow the enclosed device to control every brain wave pattern you choose. There are intructions on using the device enclosed separately. Use him well, Rayn._

Jak glanced up. "This is the end of the letter, and it's to Rayn." He glanced at the last sentence. "_Use him well_?" He looked to Torn. "What does that mean?"

Torn growled. "It means we are looking for a man... not an object. The weapon Krew described is a man."

* * *

Bijin: Okay cool. Chapter 3 done. Hope you guys are enjoying it, and I'll see you at the 4th chapter. Review please.

**Next Chapter: Witness**

* * *


	4. Witness

Bijin: Well, that took long enough. Sorry there was such a gap. Curse you world of warcraft... curse you. I've been doing ahem other things. Anyway, hope you enjoy the next installment.

* * *

**Chapter 4: Witness**

"I'm here to pick up a shipment."

This area seemed somehow more dirty than the warehouse had been the night before. Dust and smog hung in the air like a bad joke, and the look of the man waiting seemed akin to the poisonously dirty water of Dead Town. He spoke to a large man who leaned upon a large four-seater Zoomer. The man gave him a once over, his eyes lingering on the smaller's forehead and the metallic briefcase in his hand, before shrugging and waving him into the open pier behind him. The newcomer followed him silently, allowing himself to be lead across the water-worn cement pier, and into a large open stone pavillion, people moving like bees, the entire area like a beehive of motion. Groups ran this way and that, some unloading large metallic barrels, others dealing with equally shady people, leading them this way and that. Though the lack of noise made it so obviously illicit, that he began to feel wary. He was lead to the back of the pavillion where a line of four people sat at a table, the large man who had lead him here quickly headed away, going back to the meeting spot.

One of the four seated ones pushed forward a clipboard. "Name or emblem here, and we'll get your order."

A small metallic piece was pulled from one of his pockets, and placed on the table. The seated one stared at it for a long moment. It was a deep red silhouette of a female body, curves generous, and pose one of perhaps a stripper. "Wait... you work for Li? I heard she's dead."

He sighed and punched the table slightly. "Yeah. Some dude came and offed her last night." A smirk tempted his lips, but he remained straight-faced. "Look... Li promised me this eco, and now she's dead. Could you give me the shipment? I can pay for it."

The seated one gave him an odd look, then shrugged. "I can't do something like that. You'll have to talk to Locke about it."

The newcomer smirked. "Locke, huh? He's the one who runs this thing?"

"Yeah. Hey Cruss! Come take tattoo-boy here to see Locke. He's whining about his shipment." He waved another agent over, and the newcomer was hauled off to a back room, several armed men standing about. He glanced at each of them, the smirk which curled his lips turning to one of barely-contained excitement.

Locke was a tall wiry man, arms and legs like thin stalks and a flat front wrapped in over-sized clothing. The clothing was actually a suit which seemed to have been a custom design, but ordered a few sizes too big, his sleeves rolled several times to show his bony, beringed, pale fingers. Hair was long, but greased back, the ends dancing at his shoulder blades. His small piercing eyes moved up to glare at him for a long moment. "And what seems to be your bile?" He demanded tastelessly.

The guest smiled, and placed his hand on the desk. "The late crime lord Li promised me some eco, but she isn't around to pick it up... so how about you sell me her shipment? I'm prepared to pay for it."

"I don't like your eyes." Locke scowled, and waved a hand at him. "Let's see the emblem and we'll see if I can give you her entire share."

The hand resting on the desk moved to the side slightly, showing the metallic plate held within. A sword, whose hilt was emblazoned with precious jewels, and whose blade melted into a blue teardrop at the tip.

Locke perused it for a long moment, his small eyes going wide. "What the... this isn't Li's... you work for...?"

The guest leaned far into the table, both hands supporting the built torso which leaned across the desktop. "My mistress would like to do business with you." He paused, and seemed to consider his words for a long moment. "Nevermind. She would like to do business... without you."

Blood poured from Locke's suddenly split middle, and gunshots echoed across the pier.

* * *

"Jak!"

The cry was wailed directly into the elf's ear, the tone and volume wavering drunkenly. The cry was adequately stifled as Jak's hand closed over the head of the small ottsel, whose throat produced the sleep-breaking cry.

"Dax... you do that too many more times, and I swear I'll lend you to Kleiver for the day." Jak garbled, sitting up and rubbing the back of his head. It seemed as though he had used the sofa's arm as a pillow rather than grabbing one from his bed. He rubbed his stiff neck.

"I haven't slept all night!!" He cried excitedly, as though this in and of itself warranted a trumpeted fanfare. Jak's grip on the ottsel's head resumed itself and he stood, stretching and wandering to the side of the room, where a red light was signaling him. His communicator had missed a few calls. He looked to the writhing ottsel in his hand as he tried to free his large head.

"You know who called?"

"Oh yeah! That was Torn! He's reeeeeeal pissed off."

"So what else is new?" Jak sighed and wandered out of the apartment, grabbing the zoomer and giving a half-hearted dash toward City Hall. His large form was grasped the moment he stepped foot in the room.

"You gotta stop doing this to us, Jak! An hour of the day wasted, cause you couldn't drag your carcass out of bed!" Torn cried, hauling him over to the center table.

Jak jabbed his thumb at the door as Daxter vibrated on his shoulder, completely content in his current coffee-high. "You know, my couch is very inviting. More inviting than your bitching, I assure you. I'd be more than happy to head back to it."

"Alright, alright, Jak. We're sorry, it's just that we've been having trouble contacting you." Ashelin mediated, pulling Torn over to herself, as though to spare Jak.

"I... haven't been sleeping well lately. I wake up feeling like I haven't slept at all." He shook his head. "Well, anyway, what's going on now? What do you have for me?"

Torn rolled his eyes. "There was another killing last night; another crime lord, and ten of his people." He looked to Ashelin, giving her the floor.

"Locke was the name. He was a crime lord who had cornered the market on illicit eco distribution. He harvested eco from government supply, and sold it at inflated prices to those who needed to operate under the government's radar."

"Other criminals and crime lords, then." Jak coughed. "You're not sending me to investigate the bodies again, are you?" He winced.

Torn shook his head. "No. I've got KG all over it. You already gave information on the deaths of Li and her people, and the killing style of Locke was identical. We believe it was the same guy, so there's really nothing you can do about the investigation." His eyes had wandered to the side, spotting the oddly-behaving Daxter. He was now teetering precariously on Jak's shoulder, his body's desperate desire for sleep conflicting with the buzz of coffee, leaving his mind generally disoriented. He eventually settled his belly against the shoulder guard and limply hung there, confident that Jak would not allow his furry partner to fall from his perch. Torn shook his head and continued. "What I want you to do is follow up to do something of an interview."

"Interview?" Jak wrinkled his nose.

"A survivor of the massacre last night at the pier has come forward saying he'll give us information. He claims he was a new recruit to Locke's band and so far, he's been the only one to step up and say anything." Torn pulled a small slip of paper from his pocket and shoved it into Jak's waiting hands, pulling Daxter from his shoulder and tossing the sleeping ottsel onto the table behind him. "Keira's with him now. I want you to go talk to him. You worked with Krew for a while, and Krew trusted you quite a lot. You must've known at least some of his associates. Perhaps you can get an idea of who this guy is or where he comes from at least."

Jak had no time to protest as he was forcefully turned around and shoved into the elevator shaft. The machine dropped him several levels, then yawned open into another large room, two people seated in the far corner. The man looked vaguely familiar, though nothing to warrant any reaction out of Jak. He approached and sat without a word. He gave the man a once-over before he spoke. He was a small mousy man, whom easily reminded him of Vin. His eyes darted about nervously, as though the world were waiting for him to let his guard down. Finally, Jak spoke. "Worked for Locke, eh?" He nodded, a twinge in his neck making the movement somewhat spastic. "What did you do for him?"

There was a long pause as he seemed to regard the meaning behind the question. He deemed there to be none, and muttered, "I was just a shipping boy." He managed, his voice somewhat strained. "I helped load and unload the cargo."

"So you were there when the murderer came in?" Jak pushed, leaning foreward.

The man nodded. "Yeah. He was a big guy... about your size, spikey hair."

"What about his face? Could you tell me a little more about that?" Jak inquired quickly, placing a hand to his throbbing temple.

He paused guiltily. "Well... I didn't get a real look at his face. He was standing too far away. But I did see one thing!" He cried, holding up a finger, as though to make up for his lack of knowledge of the man's face. "There was a tattoo." He placed his hands over his forehead. "Right here. It was right above his eyebrows."

"Like... on his forehead." Jak rephrased, waving his hand.

"Yeah. It was like... a long tattoo across his forehead." He nodded.

"Well..." Jak ran a hand along his face and gave something akin to a long-suffering glance Keira's way before leaning back in his chair and taking a breath. "Could you tell me what all you saw last night?"

The man once again glanced this way and that, on the lookout for anything which might eye him as tasty. Deeming he was safe for the next few moments, he began speaking. "Well... I was told that someone from Li's group was supposed to pick up her shipment, and I was just supposed to unload it from the transport. But apparently something was wrong with the guy who came to pick it up, and he went back to see Locke." He ran a hand over his brow, then across his greasy hair. "They took him to the room where Locke stays, and after a few minutes... there were guns and screams, and suddenly this... thing... came barreling out of the room. Anyone who tried to shoot it got either shot or stabbed before they could even aim!"

Jak waved a hand. "Whoa whoa whoa... take a breath there Caffeine Pack." He sat up straighter as the witness obliged. "Shot or stabbed? Was this guy armed?"

"I think so. I think he stole a gun from one of Locke's security guard. No one would've let him near Locke carting that thing around. The other thing... I think he may have had on iron knuckles with spikes or something. I only really saw a little of him. It was so dark... and there were so many people running around. It almost looked like he had huge claws." Keira glanced to Jak, who gave her the same look. A single thought ran through their minds as Jak turned once more to the man, placing a hand to his head once again. He continued. "Well... he was kind of tossing people everywhere, so when one of them landed on me, I just lied down and pretended to be dead."

"Well, apparently there were only eleven bodies found at the scene, including Locke's. What happened to the rest?" The larger elf inquired doubtfully. He was beginning to wonder how reliable this source was.

The man's eyes lit up when he mentioned those missing. "Oh yeah! He had been killing people for a few moments, and then everyone started backing away, so he kind of... calmed down. I can't really explain it any other way. He stopped hunching over, and he dropped the weapons. He just started wandering around, talking to people. I didn't really hear what he was saying though. He was speaking in a rather deep voice and I was too scared to pay any attention. Either way, the rest of them left with the guy."

Jak rubbed at his eyes. A hazy memory of a hectic nighttime attack wasn't going to get them much more information than they had. Though at least now they knew where the droves of criminals were going; they were being won over and recruited. "How about you tell us more about the tattoo you saw on his forehead? What did it look like?"

"Well... the only real reason I saw it was because it was glowing."

Jak perked up. "Glowing?"

"Yeah. I couldn't really see the design on it, but it was glowing... almost sparking." Jak stared at him. The man rolled his eyes and spoke again. "Well... it was like little sections of it would suddenly light up, then dim, then light up again. There wasn't really a pattern to it... it was really random... like electricity or something."

Jak moved forward in his seat. "Ever seen a metal head?" The man showed no signs of response for a second and Jak quickly continued. "Have you ever seen the gems on their foreheads? Was it a metal head skull gem?"

He suddenly shook his head. "Oh no. The tattoo wasn't that big. And it wasn't shiny either. It looked like there was a design to it, but the flickering glow made it difficult to see what it was."

Jak sighed and stood. This seemed to be going nowhere. Nothing this guy said could be nailed down due to the lack of visuals. "Thanks for your help. Keira... you wanna escort him out?"

Keira nodded and helped pull the man to his feet. Jak stepped into the elevator and vanished up to Torn and Ashelin's room. The former was engrossed in a talk with a large dirty-looking man while the latter was pouring over a slate piece. Jak wandered over to her side and looked over her shoulder, reading over a third part of Krew's letter.

_Well, Rayn dear, it seems there is a late addition to the will, as it is a discovery I have only recently become aware of. You see, in my dealings with the group known as the Underground-_

Jak took a step back as Torn waved the man away and turned back to the table. Jak's look was obviously communicating the need for an explanation. "Where's Daxter?" He inquired, his eyes flicking about the room briefly before returning to Torn's face. KG leader rolled his eyes.

"Tess took him back to the Naughty Ottsel to sleep, but that's not important right now. That was one of our port contacts. Apparently he found this," He indicated the slate piece. " -near where Krew used to do a lot of his smuggling. I'm having them stop by clients' houses to see if there are any more." He looked down at the slate piece, and his face contorted with subtle anger.

"And... what does this mean?" Jak demanded quietly.

"It may mean that the weapon the will was talking about was at one time connected to the Underground, but we can't say for sure." Ashelin muttered.

Torn picked up her thought. "We can't say for sure because we are missing the body of the will. We don't know if this sentence and the weapon are even related. However, it is likely they are." He pointed to the first sentence. "This indicates that there is only one extra thing he was going to add. So it is possible that this will is comprised solely on information on how he came to acquire the weapon and such." Jak looked down, and Torn glanced to Ashelin. "We need to throw together a list of everyone who worked with Krew as a part of the Underground. Grab Tess especially. She worked closest with him." He looked to the still Jak. "We need to talk to each one and see if they know what this weapon is. It could be anything that has a gender; metal head; precursor; maybe even a man." Torn leaned closer to the motionless Jak, then tapped the table loudly below his downcast face. "Hey! Jak! We have work to do! Get a move on!"

Slowly, his head rose, his eyes glazed and tired. He gave a yawn and shrugged. "Sorry. A little tired. Look... whatever you're talking about, I'm sure you can handle it without me." He waved his hands. "Besides... even if you did need me, you'd be out of luck." He gave a pause. "I'm leaving for a one night trip to Kras city today."

Torn's face was blank for a moment, then gave a wild acrobatic fling, passing from disbelief, to confused, to angry, then adamant. "Jak, you're not going anywhere near there. Do you have any idea how many people there want you dead?"

"I know full well what I'm doing, Torn. It's something I need to do." He looked down. "It'll be more trouble if I don't."

"What are you talking about, Jak?" Ashelin demanded. "And where the hell did this come from? You haven't said anything beforehand about this."

"I just found out this morning." He muttered. "They're going to come after my girl."

"'Your girl?' You mean Keira?" Torn glanced to Ashelin.

"Yeah." Jak answered dazily.

"Who's coming after her?"

"Some wannabe gang looking for revenge after Mizo's death." He looked down. "I'm not going to put her on the line and wait for them to come after her. So I sent them a message after I got theirs this morning. I'm going to meet up with them."

Torn took a step forward, taking a fistful of Jak's shirt and yanking the young elf up to his eye level. "Look, Jak. We're in a crunch here. if we don't find out who or what is systematically picking off these crime lords and taking their people, we're going to have an all out war against Rayn. That's way bigger than anything else right now. I'll send some KG people out to Kras to take care of the people who threatened Keira. But your ass isn't leaving Haven City."

Jak took a firm hold of Torn's hands and threw them away, standing tall. Torn himself had a rather surprised look to respond, not moving from the place Jak had shoved him. Jak snarled. "If you were my mother, perhaps I'd be more inclined to obey something like that. But I'm not going to let you put this in the back seat. I'm going to protect Keira myself. I'm not going to let someone else do it for me."

Torn blinked as the light-haired elf stormed from the room, his gaze slowly moving to Ashelin. "What the hell was that?"

Ashelin shrugged. "I think it was the sound of our workload shooting through the roof."

* * *

Bijin: Kind of a short chapter, really. Oh well. Another one bites the dust! Who will catch the monster? Who will discover the weapon first? Who will finally throw Daxter against the wall for his horrendously and boarderline in-characterness in this story?! Lemme know what you think and you'll discover the answers... um... some other time.

throws Daxter against the wall

**Next Chapter: Blur**


	5. Blur

Bijin: Next chapter up! Man, I really gotta start working on a story someone besides me actually cares about. XD People are waiting for updates on Focus of a Mind or Dreams and Nightmares... oi. Anyway! Here's chapter 5! hope you enjoy it!

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**Chapter 5: Blur**

Keira sighed as she made her way up the few steps into the Naughty Ottsel. "Geeze. You'd think that guy had never driven home before. He had a freaking escort."

She scratched her head as the door hissed open, but stopped in the entranceway. Torn, Ashelin, Daxter, and Tess stared at her from the bar. She stopped. "What's going on? Where's Jak?"

Torn rolled his eyes. "Kras city... the ass. Look... you were the only other one present when Jak iterviewed the witness from the Locke massacre. We need you to tell us what Jak found out."

"Wait wait wait." Keira held her hands up, stopping her steps for the moment. "Why is Jak in Kras City?"

"He told us someone from Mizo's gang had threatened you and he headed out to deal with them. But that's not important right now." Torn waved her off.

Keira took a few large steps, her legs eating the distance over to stand in front of him. "Of course it's important! Why didn't he tell me?"

Torn sighed and gave her a stern look. "Listen... I would love to discuss the interweavings of Jak's gun-filled mind, but I'd rather deal with the matter at hand. And the matter at hand includes the murder of sixteen people. That guy was our only link to the murders last night, and since the killing method was identical to the Li murder in the water slums, the guy is also the link to the first massacre. You and Jak were the only two to interview said guy, and Jak has now decided to take a rather sudden and vainly heroic leave of absence. Meaning you need to give us the information he got out of him. After you give us that, we can give you what information we have on Jak."

"Ah. He just went to pick up chicks. He'll be back soon enough." Daxter waved his hand drunkenly. "Girls dig a racer." He smiled, his eyebrows wiggling suggestively at Tess. The female ottsel wasted no time in flinging herself over his middle, wrapping her arms about his thin waist and nuzzling his chest.

Keira sighed. "I doubt it."

"You doubt my predictions about my best pal?" Daxter accused, pointing a small furry finger at her.

Keira crossed her arms. "Not at all. I doubt your sobriety." Daxter gave her a hungover pout, but Torn cut off anything he might've been planning on blurting.

"Look! Let's talk about Jak later! Keira! I need to know what you and Jak got out of that guy!"

Keira sighed, giving him a long look before beginning. "Well... there wasn't too much. The description we got of the murderer was really hazy. It was night, and the guy couldn't even see the attacker's face." Torn motioned to her, an obvious look on his face. Keira rolled her eyes. "He said he was about Jak's size... spikey hair... and had a tattoo on his forehead."

"A tattoo..." Ashelin repeated. "What kind of tattoo?"

"Well, he couldn't really tell what the design was. He did say it was glowing though."

"If it was glowing, wouldn't that light up the guy's face enough to see?" Torn gave her dull eyes.

"Apparently not." Keira shrugged. "But doesn't the glowing tattoo in and of itself give us something to go on?"

"No." Torn shook his head. "With technology as it is right now... tattoos can be created and erased overnight. Whoever had that tattoo last night could've easily had it removed by now. Especially if he thought there were any surviving witnesses to the attack." He shook his head. "We can't depend on that to get us anywhere. What else did you find out?"

Keira put a hand to her chin. "Well... he said that the murderer apparently claimed to be there to pick up a shipment of eco for Li."

"Hmm... that certainly would point to the fact that he was the murderer there as well." Torn placed a hand to his chin. "After all, in order for him to pick up Li's shipment, he would have to have Li's emblem. Considering she's dead, few but the murderer would have it." He looked back to her. "What happened then?"

"He said that there was a problem with the guy, so they took him back to see Locke. Then there was shooting, and the guy came... 'barreling' back out." She gave a pause. "It was almost as if he were describing an animal. He had stolen one of the guards guns, and was wearing iron knuckles or something that made it look like he had claws." She suddenly jumped as though remembering something. "Oh! He also confirmed what we thought. Whoever is doing this... they kill only a few of them, then recruit the rest. The guy said that he heard the guy talking to them and they all followed him out."

"He heard the murderer talking to Locke's men?" Ashelin demanded. "What was he saying? Would he recognize the voice if he heard it again?"

Keira shook her head. "I doubt it. He couldn't even understand what the guy was saying he was so scared. He probably didn't hear it the first time."

Torn groaned and sighed. "Every time we think we've got a lead on this... thing... it goes face down."

Keira placed her hands on her hips and threw her lower lip out. "Torn... information on Jak, please."

Torn waved a hand at her. "All I know is that Jak suddenly told us earlier today that he was leaving for Kras city. He said someone from Mizo's gang was threatening you, so he went there to deal with them."

"Lies." Daxter muttered darkly, his voice sounding much more sober. Torn raised an eyebrow at him.

"What are you talking about, Daxter? Jak told me this not... three hours ago."

Daxter waved a paw at him. "Trifles." He leaned forward, and placed his paws on the counter in a rather business-like fashion. "Take a few minutes to ponder this, my less-attractive friends." He glanced to Torn. "When exactly did Jak say he received this threat?"

"This morning." Ashelin rolled her eyes.

A paw raised, one digit waving back and forth toward her. "Not true, Sweet Stripes." She wrinkled her nose. "I was at Jak's side from the moment he woke up to the moment he met Torn at City Hall this morning. He received no threats, nor any communication save Torn yelling his ass off." Ashelin paused. Daxter had been rather... intoxicated that morning, so there are surely things he could've missed. But something as large as a threat seems more like something which would stick in the mind. Daxter motioned to Tess. "And Tess can confirm that the only calls that came through the Naughty Ottsel's system were those from Torn." He leaned toward the tattooed man, a hand held to the side of his mouth as though sharing something illicit. "That's how we figured out that we needed to wake Jak."

Torn looked to Ashelin. "Then why would Jak just run off to Kras City?"

Ashelin shrugged back. "Well... could it be he has his own score to settle? Like... rather than being called, he went to them to challenge them?"

Daxter flourished his paws. "Ah, but we still run into a snag in your theory." He sat upon the table and motioned to himself. "As you can see... I am still here." The group gave a unified blink.

"Your point?" Torn gave him a lazy glare.

Keira seemed to pick up on the ottsel's point. "Jak is a well-bodied person. He is capable of taking care of things on his own... but he never leaves Daxter behind. The two are a team. Whenever Jak has to do something, he always has Daxter with him. He wouldn't leave him behind on something like this."

Ashelin tossed her hip. "So what are you guys saying? This doesn't make sense. If Jak wouldn't do that... and he didn't receive a threat... then why did he leave?"

"It's rather simple, Sweet Stripes." Daxter concluded suavely. He placed a hand on Tess' small shoulder, as though to break some horrible news to her. "I'm afraid... Jak has been replaced by an evil eco clone... and we must destroy him to find the real one!!"

Keira rolled her eyes, slapping the small ottsel across the back of the head. Torn and Ashelin didn't seem sure what to say and headed out without much more than a farewell. The idea stuck in Keira's mind, however... that Jak's behavior was rather odd. Though hung over... Daxter did bring up some good points. Solution was certainly questionable. But the points were rather valid.

_Something is really wrong here._

* * *

The building was much nicer than the ones he had previously been in when dealing with crime lords. This one was abandoned yes, and there were no signs of activity on the outside. However, on the inside, it had been nicely furnished. It certainly didn't reek of elegance, but things were not falling apart. It wasn't until they lowered themselves to the underground level that he began to understand why his mistress had targeted this man. Their footsteps lead them down a long hallway, large glass windows lining the right-hand side, and a series of glass cases running ceiling to floor on the left-hand side, a few feet space between each. The right side windows peeked into a large coliseum-like room, several zoomers zipping past in practice every few seconds. The glass cases on the other side were each filled to the brim with large golden trophies, proclaiming everything from the Kras City Championship, to the HCC; the Haven City Circuit. He smirked. A crime boss in racing.

"You seem interested, my friend." His mistress smiled back at him, an odd quality glinting in her eyes. "Ever been here before?"

"I doubt it. Couldn't say for sure. I've been so many places... I think." His face contorted as though trying to remember something important. "Either way, Mistress... why do we bother with this gang? I thought Mizo was the biggest crime lord in racing. Shouldn't we be going after him?"

She laughed. "Of course, but you see... that would prove rather difficult since he is dead. But then, you know all about that." A slender hand reached up to stroke the side of his face before moving to his chest. He stared at her, searching her eyes.

His eyes glazed for a moment, as though in thought. He remained that way for a long moment until the woman before him scowled, and he seemed to come back to himself. "Sorry... what were we talking about?"

"Don't worry about it. I shouldn't have brought it up." She turned away and continued her walking. "I should be careful with statements like that, I suppose, or I could lose you." This was muttered under her breath, and at a silent command from her, he ignored it. "Anyway... about this crime lord... he is Mizo's successor, Bade. He took over once Mizo died. He must have some skill since the syndicate lost none of its potency once Mizo was gone. It's been going strong the entire time because Bade picked it up right where Mizo left off."

"Ah. That makes sense." He bobbed his head back and forth. "But why have you accompanied me this time, Mistress? You stayed away when I took on Locke and Li. Why come with me now?"

Her walking stopped, her body turning toward his, and her face moving to sit mere inches away from his. A hand had been placed upon his chest, body molded suddenly to his. "I would like to see you work. You complete the missions with incredible accuracy. You've only killed fourteen of the people I wanted for myself. It's amazing." She took a breath, almost smelling him, and she let it out slowly, letting their breath mingle. "I want to see how you do it. I want to be protected by you."

He gave a half-smirk as she removed herself, and they continued another short way down the hall, reaching a door, upon which, they knocked. A large man peeked out before swinging the door open wide, his eyes eating the woman up hungrily. The man beside her growled quietly, but she quieted him and stepped forward. "Hello. I'm here on business."

"Oh really?" He inquired huskily. "And what business have you here?"

She put a finger to her chin. "Let's see... I was given a name..." She perked up. "Ah yes! Kiza. I'm here to see Kiza." Her partner raised an eyebrow at her. The man at the door turned slightly to look at the man in the back of the room, whom guarded another door. He gave her a suspicious once-over before permitting them entrance to the room. "I was told that Bade was in Haven City for a qualifying race, and if I wanted to see the boss of this place, I'd have to talk to Kiza."

The man guarding the second door regarded her for a moment. "I see. You must be talking to the right people, at least." She smiled and took a step foreward. He lifted a hand to stop her, his hand ending up a little lower than her shoulder. She winced, and her partner let loose an angry growl. She waved a hand to calm him, then looked up at the guard. "Weapons?"

She rolled her eyes and removed her jacket, leaving her in nothing but her thin supportive tank top. She handed her jacket to the man, and he took his time feeling through it to find anything suspicious. From one of the pockets, he pulled a small violet gem, turning the glowing object over in his hands a few times. "What might this be?" She shrugged. He seemed to deem it safe, and stuffed it back in. Eventually he handed it back and looked a little lower, as though indicating there may be weapons in her pants. Her partner growled again as the man leaned down and began patting down her legs. However, his wrist was angrily grabbed when his hands lingered on her thighs. The guard glanced up, giving a hardly-convincing counter-glare, before standing and looking to her partner, then back to her. His index finger extended, pointing to the small thin headset which was set upon her temples, a small microphone extending to rest next to her lips. "What's this?"

She placed a hand to it for a moment before shrugging. "Just a little communicator. It's like my cell phone." She rolled her eyes. "Can we get on with this please? It's taking too long."

"Look... there have been two crime lords completely wiped out recently. Can't take any chances." He jabbed a thumb at the male. "What about your tattooed wonder here?"

She smirked at her partner before sighing. "If it were up to me, you could go ahead and strip him, but since we're trying to save time, nothing more than a pat-down please." Her partner gave her a panicked look, but the man went ahead and gave him a pat-down. The two were permitted entrance, and they were lead down another several hallways before they came to rest at a door near the back. The woman peeked her head into the room, and glared at an empty desk. She looked to one of the three guards within the room, and bobbed her head toward the chair. "Where's Kiza?"

The man grunted. "He's making an announcement in the main hall. Just relaying Bade's orders."

"Mind taking us there? We missed the memo."

He rolled his eyes and shoved past her, leading them toward the heart of the underground world, allowing the two of them to head in to where a charismatic blond was speaking into a microphone. The mic was stood upon a large stage, a cheap roll-on made of old planks of wood. Upon the stage were a few empty chairs where guards were meant to sit (though were oddly absent), and behind him stood several large panels of glass as though attempting to give the stage some appearance of dignity. In the woman's eyes, it simply made it look tacky. The large hall was filled to the brim with young men, women, and even a few children, each one with their eyes glued to the speaker. "This is fortunate, hmm?" She inquired, brushing her hip against his arm as she helped herself to the route up toward the stage. He followed, glaring at the few guards which guarded only three doors leading into the room. Security was low. Though there was little need for it inside the heart of their own base, he supposed. Or so they thought anyway. The speaker's thought seemed interrupted as his speech halted, the two of them wandering up the stairs of the stage, and slowly approaching him.

"Hey... get off the stage, dunces. Go take a seat or something." He growled at the two of them. He waved, and two of the guards headed up to meet them.

"Sorry, but we have business with you, Kiza." The woman waved a hand as her partner's eyes glued themselves to the guards.

"It'll have to wait." Kiza growled.

"I don't think so." She countered. He glared at her, and his wave sent all three guards running at him. "You see... my buddy here is rather impatient, and fully capable of holding his own. Watch." She turned slightly, as her partner dove from the stage, ten needle-sharp claws imbedding themselves in the front guard's chest with a scream. He turned to the next, whose gun was already leveled. Animal's body rolled out of the way, legs tightening back before launching himself at the guard. Three claws slashed across the face, both hands wrenching the gun from his grasp before rounding and firing four shots into his body. The last guard fired twice, but barely had time to pull the trigger again before the offender had rounded and emptied nearly the rest of the clip into his body. Oddly enough there was very little reaction from the crowd, though the woman assumed that they were used to this sort of thing by now.

She clapped. "Well-done." She muttered. She looked to Kiza. "Now... we can do business. See... that man over there..." Her eyes moved slightly to indicate the killer, who dropped the gun and headed wearily back to the stage. "He is the best weapon any crime lord can have... and he belongs solely to me. He wiped out Li... and he wiped out Locke. You can avoid the same fate... but... you have to do something for me first." Kiza's quavering eyes glanced from the bodies to the weapon, then back to the woman. He gave a nod, then glanced curiously behind her, staring at the man.

She turned, seeing his wavering form, and sighed. "Running low already?" He looked to his hands, staring as though he'd never seen them before. From her jacket pocket she produced the small violet gem, and pressed it to his middle, his throat giving a cough as it slowly vanished into his body. He stood straight again once it was gone, and she turned back to the man.

"Now... where were we...? Ah yes. Our bargain. There's still the matter of Bade."

* * *

Bijin: Alright, not much to say... the story continues... WHOOPPEEEEEE

**Next Chapter: Truth**


	6. Truth

Bijin: Oooh! Big plot point in this chapter. I wonder how many readers have figured out the whole of what is going on. XD Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter as it was one of my favorites to write. Enjoy!

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**Chapter 6: Truth**

"Daxter, come on! Torn's gonna fire us both if we start acting like Jak; being late and all." Keira called, her voice carrying up the stairs and into the room Daxter was curretly trashing in his search.

"Hang on! I know Jak hid it in here somewhere!" He called back. He tossed aside a jacket as Keira wandered into her significant other's bedroom.

"Daxter, what've you done to this place?!" She cried. The room had been basically turned upside down. The covers on the bed had been tossed aside, and the pillow was missing. Books on the shelves were upon the floor, and it appeared as though the closet had been emptied out. Daxter's small form was now wiggling about beneath a large pile of dirty clothes, his tail the only thing visible.

"Oh come on, you know just as well as I do that Jak never cleans this place."

"Maybe so, but he barely lives in it. It never gets messed up like this!" Keira crossed her arms and tossed her hip as a large duffel began to peek out from within the pile.

"Found it!" The small ottsel hopped onto the duffel and quickly unzipped it, sticking his upper half into the bag and rooting around in its contents. "Oh... where is it...? Not that one... too big... not cut... Ah-HA!" His tail shot straight up and seemed to wag for a second. "Woo! Found it- Hey! He didn't finish mine!" Keira raised an eyebrow as Daxter emerged, both his paws full. One held a small glowing white stone, uncut, but glimmering beautifully. The other was full of the same gem, only this one was larger and cut in a smooth oval-pattern, set upon a golden mount. The mount had been hung as a pendant upon a shimmering golden braided chain. Daxter sighed, looked to Keira, then held the larger one out to her. "Here... This is from Jak."

A crimson color shot across Keira's cheeks. "What... f... for me?"

"Yeah. He made it from a light eco crystal in Spargus city. He didn't have any other use for them, so when he was bored, he'd work on carving that. He broke apart the other two into a few smaller pieces, and he was supposed to make this one into a necklace for Tess, but he spent too much time on that one!" The girl took it into her hands, running her fingers over the smooth surface, and caressing it fondly before stringing it around her neck, the pendant nestling itself comfortably against her chest. She smiled and looked to Daxter, who shrugged. "Be sure to kiss him for it when he gets back." She nodded, then pointed to the second stone in his paw.

"And that one? Is that for Tess?"

Daxter huffed, and placed his paw to his hip. "Yeah. He was supposed to make it into a necklace for her, but he didn't finish it! He spent so much time perfecting that one!" He sighed and clambered onto her shoulder placing the stone back into the duffel. "Oh well. He's coming back today, so I can grill him for it then."

Keira rolled her eyes and the two headed to City Hall, using one of Jak's own zoomers. Torn and Ashelin were waiting for them when they arrived. "Jak's not back yet?" Keira questioned, glancing this way and that.

Ashelin rolled her eyes. "It's only ten in the morning, Keira. Jak doesn't get up earlier than that unless forced. We suspect he should be back sometime this afternoon. But there's a few other things to worry about right now."

Torn nodded and picked it up. "Two more slate pieces were found last night in more of Krew's old smuggling routes. Some of our contacts are bringing them over later and we'll examine them tonight. In the meantime, there's been an inquiry about the incident six months ago, and Vin says he needs some help involving a few oddities in the central system. Keira and Daxter, you two are joining Tess over at the power station and handling Vin's work, and that leaves the inquiry of six months ago to Ashelin and I."

"You want me to help with the inquiry?" Ashelin repeated, glancing to Keira, then back to Torn. "You never even told me what happened. You told me you didn't want this going anywhere and the fewer who knew about it, the better."

"That's true, but if it seems as though we were hiding something from you, the detective might doubt our ability to handle things like this." Torn looked down.

"You didn't hide anything from her Torn. You told her something had happened, but you just... didn't give her details."

"But it looked like I hid it. That's all the detective will need to raise a case against Jak."

Ashelin's eyebrows came to a point. "Alright. I understand your reasoning for omitting details, but can you give them to me now? I'm going to be talking to him too, right?"

The man nodded, then looked to Keira and Daxter, who gave him determined expressions back. "Well... it was shortly after I had taken over the Krimson Guard once Errol and the Dark Makers were taken care of. Jak came home from his fight with Errol, and for the next... oh... I'd say four months, he was living a pretty normal life. He had some issues with headaches, but other than that, there was nothing really amiss. I would recruit Jak for missions on several occasions. The particular mission he was sent on was a simple one, really. Nothing should've gone wrong." He looked to Keira, and she picked up the explanation.

"I was supposed to drive Jak and six KG members to the old location of the Metal Head nest to root out any dead eggs or remnants of their existence. I was to wait outside the location for them to return. That part was easy enough. But when they were gone for over and hour longer than they should've been, I went ahead and followed them inside. When I got there... all six of the KG members were dead and Jak was looking ready to pass out. No one really knows what happened."

Ashelin was silent for a long time. An accident was the vaguely satisfying explanation she had gotten first for the deaths of the six KG members. This seemed as such, save the oddity of one survivor. "Wait, what happened to Daxter? Where was he?"

Daxter took a long moment to answer. "Well... Jak sent me ahead shortly before the attack happened. He wanted me to climb one of the egg towers and see if I could spot any eggs nearby or really anything that could be alive. I had just reached the top when I heard the screaming. I came back down... and Dark Jak was there. But it was odd." He quieted, sitting back on Keira's shoulder and placing a paw to his lips. "Whenever Jak killed before... it was usually a sudden overflow of dark eco into their bodies, or a quick one-hit kill. But these guys..." Orange fur stood on end quickly and the small animal gave a shudder. "Buuuh... it was just... not like Jak. They were all mangled. There were cuts and bruises all over them. It was like he had used his claws to slice them up. He passed out right after Keira came up."

"So... you sent him away because he was dangerous?"

"Well, not just that." Torn placed his hands on the large table. "The attack was odd. It didn't seem Jak's style." He shook his head. "And even if we assume that Jak was the one who did it, it doesn't make any sense. Jak has never turned on his own comrades before. Not only that, but Jak has no memory of ever doing that. Even when Dark Jak, he had full awareness of his actions and remembered them. But this time... he said he remembered telling Daxter to check the tower, and then it's like he passed out. The next thing he remembers is waking up the next morning in the hospital we sent him to."

Ashelin put a few fingers to her chin. "Has he gotten that memory back, or done anything odd since then?"

Keira shook her head. "No. I mean, there were a few letters Sig wrote me about people supposedly seeing Jak wandering around by himself at night. But that's all."

Ashelin took a breath. "Well... I suppose I understand the situation now. But why keep the details from me?"

"The only people who know that Jak was even on that mission are a few family members of the KG guys who died, Keira, Daxter, and I. We know full-well that if Jak was the one that did this, he wasn't in his right mind. We didn't want anyone else to know about it, so we could quietly send Jak away from the city while we tried to decipher more information." He looked up again. "We haven't figured anything else out, but the inquiry was exactly what we were trying to avoid. It means that the family members of those KG have seen Jak in the city and want to pump him for information about what happened. We know that those family members wouldn't waste a second in condemning Jak if they found out what we know. That's why."

Ashelin looked at the three of them and smirked. "I suppose after all he's done for this city, the least we can do for him is protect him in things like this." Torn and Keira nodded, and Ashelin scowled. "It disgusts me that the people of this city would condemn him like they would've... and have in the past."

"People will do a lot to pin the blame for their suffering on someone." Torn shrugged. "Alright. Time to get to work. Keira and Daxter, head to the power station. Ashelin and I will deal with the inquiry. We'll meet back here tonight and deal with the slate pieces. Jak will be back by then and hopefully we can figure out another move."

* * *

"Oh Daxter! Torn sent you!" Tess cried happily as Keira and the small ottsel headed into the power station. Keira chuckled slightly as Tess tackled Daxter to the ground and the two fidgeted down there for a moment. Keira headed in to speak to the floating translucent head, from which, Vin's voice issued.

"I'm glad you could come, Keira." He muttered, the same nervous twinge in his voice as always. "I'm surprised Torn didn't send Jak over here."

"He's out of town. But hey, tell me what to do and we can do it!"

Vin chuckled. "Well, it's not that big a deal. But I do need someone to help me figure out some strange occurrences lately. You guys sit tight while I work my way into the system." The head vanished, and the three were left in silence. Keira shrugged and lowered herself to the floor, Tess and Daxter wandering over a few moments later.

"You guys all done?" Keira chuckled. "Understandable... that kind of greeting. After all, you haven't seen each other for all of... an hour."

Daxter shrugged. "Oh well. I never deny Tess my love." Daxter swooned, leaning over and wrapping a small arm about Tess' shoulders. Keira took a moment to roll her eyes before Daxter spoke again. "Where'd old Sack-o-nerves go?"

Keira waved upward. "He's gonna get us into the system. He says there's he wants our help in figuring some stuff out. I suppose he just wanted some intellectual help."

Daxter smirked. "Well... good thing he invited me!"

"He didn't invite you. He invited _someone_." Keira shot back.

Daxter pouted and Keira's attention moved to his female companion. "Say Tess, didn't Torn and Ashelin talk to you yesterday about Krew's Underground contacts?"

Tess put a furry finger to her jaw. "Oh yeah. They did sit me down for a while."

Keira motioned to her. "Well... what'd you guys talk about?"

"Well... they wanted to know if anything different happened involving Krew anytime shortly before his death." She paused. "There was nothing normal about Krew, really. And of course there was his fascination with sending his best guys out to gain parts of the bomb he would eventually build. But there certainly was something interesting a while after Jak started working for him." Keira leaned forward. "Well, at first I thought he was trying to poison Jak, but... after a little bit, it seemed obvious he wasn't trying to hurt him. It didn't really make sense, considering Jak's performance didn't diminish at all. In fact, he seemed to be getting better."

"What was Krew doing?" Daxter asked bluntly, sitting down and leaning forward as well.

"Well... he started having me put a special powder into Jak's drinks whenever he was in the bar. Even on the rare occasions he didn't order something alcoholic, he would have me put that powder in."

"Did you ever find out what it was?" Keira raised an eyebrow. That seemed a little too blatant. Not only that, but it appeared as though the issue had nothing to do with the current matter.

"Krew told me it was an enhancer. It made it so Jak would require less sleep. He would be able to go longer without having to rest." She crossed her arms and looked down in thought. "Come to think of it... I once saw him putting that same powder on the gun upgrades he gave him." She perked up, an index finger aimed at the ceiling. "The only thing I can think of that may have been related to the matter at hand would be the conversation I... kind of overheard shortly after Jak started working for him."

"Kind of overheard?" Keira repeated. "What do you mean 'kind of'?"

"Well, I didn't hear much of the conversation. It was between Krew... and I think it may have been Jinx, but I'm not too sure." She shook her head. "But they were talking about how beneficial Jak was being. Krew was saying that he was trouble because of his attitude, but with the right motivation, he would bend and he could become the most powerful asset he held. Then he told the guy where Jak lived, gave him something and the two of them left."

Keira placed a hand to her chin. "That's odd. You'd think that if he was giving the guy information on where Jak lived, he'd be sending him there to do something."

Daxter shook his head. "I assure you... nothing about Jak changed the entire time he was working for Krew. So what was it that Krew gave to the guy?"

"And if it was intended for Jak... what was its purpose?" Keira continued. "Though it is possible he was just handing him a gun upgrade to be given to him later on."

"That seems a little bit outside the matter, though, doesn't it?" Tess shrugged.

"Yeah I suppose." Blue-haired elf gave a sigh, then smiled. "We were probably never meant to understand Krew." She chuckled. The conversation was light, and less somber as the day wore on, the three patiently waiting for Vin to finish his work, rain beginning to pour outside, and it wasn't until Daxter had gone and returned with snacks for the three of them that Vin's head reappeared above them.

"Alright, we're in." He announced proudly.

"Where've you been, Inviso-boy?" He demanded irately. "We've been waiting for hours!"

Vin's head bobbed as though he were shrugging. "Sorry. The system I had to connect and communicate with was the one in Kras City. That and the storm outside was messing up the communication." As if the reinforce his point, a crack of thunder boomed outside.

"Kras? What's that got to do with anything?" Daxter shot back, hopping onto Keira's shoulder, the latter of which had her eyes running over a screen full of confusing-looking stats.

"Apparently there's been a lot of activity there. Though the computers there are kind of hinting that the source of the oddities may be in Haven City."

"What kinds of oddities?" Keira pushed, not taking her eyes from the screen.

"Apparently, right after Li's death, there were about four hundred people who left Kras city. About one hundred of them came here, and about 90 of the rest were former criminals. People who have been arrested in the past, but haven't been proven of law-breaking since. They scattered all over the place and vanished outside Kras' radar, as if they were hiding."

"What are they all running from?" Tess asked no one, hopping onto the computer desk.

"We're not sure. But the oddities don't stop there. Apparently, camera scans at the entrance to the cities show that several eco tankers with false id numbers drove into Kras city after Locke's death. All of them were searched, but they were all empty."

"Sounds like whoever was in there was running as well. Were they Locke's tankers?" Keira finally looked up.

"We think so. But there was no eco in them. The people driving them were arrested, but everyone is giving the same vague story as the guy you and Jak interviewed." Vin's head spun slightly and he continued. "There was one more thing. Another security camera. It's not of too much use, except it proves that Rayn is the one behind the previous murders. At least... I think it does." He seemed to look back and forth for a moment before moving to the side, a screen behind him flaring to life. "This is from a back alley in Kras City last night."

The camera seemed swallowed in darkness, the lack of light only suitable enough to perhaps spot some wrongdoing in progress. Around the corner walked two figures, both shrouded in the shadow as the camera moved across them. As they escaped the shine of the lens, a single one stepped into the light, a female. Her clothes were a simple business suit, hips swaying sensually, and hair pulled back in an almost asian way. "Rayn!" Daxter yelped.

Vin paused the video. "Now look at her companion."

Keira's eyes shifted. It was a tall figure, well-built by the silhouette of his torso. No features could be seen, however. No hair-color, no clothing in particular. Only one thing stood stark against the darkness of the alley. A golden tattoo glowed brightly across his forehead.

"It's the murderer!" Keira cried, pointing a finger at it.

Vin's head bobbed forward. "That's what I think anyway. But Rayn is supposed to be based in Haven City. Why is she in Kras...?"

Keira looked down, her eyes roaming the stats again. "Well... thusfar... her little buddy has taken out two crime lords and abducted their men for herself. Torn, Ashelin, and I think she's wiping out other crime lords to increase her own power."

Daxter looked to Vin. "Are there any prominent crime lords based in Kras City?"

Vin's head went still, his mind shooting through files and databases, his brain linking with Kras' city's system. "Ah!" He cried, coming back to himself. "Bade."

"Who's Bade?" Tess interjected.

"He's a racing crime lord. He was Mizo's right hand man, and took over the syndicate when Mizo died. He's the biggest guy in racing bets and has the best racers out there."

"It's possible she went after him. Racing is important to her family, after all." Keira looked up at him. "Are there any odd reports around today concerning him?"

Vin went still again, his brain shooting back across the cables. "Nothing, really. The HCC is occurring this week, so I don't think Bade is even in Kras right now. The only odd report is..." He froze. "Whoa!"

"What? What is it?" Daxter jumped to his feet on Keira's shoulder.

"There was another mass exodus this morning. Three hundred people left the city according to the counters at the city gates."

Keira and Daxter exchanged a look. "Think it was Rayn again? We have evidence she was there. If only we could see who that guy was!"

"Keira! Daxter! Tess!" A voice cut in. Beside Vin's head, a second disembodied cranium floated, Torn's voice floating from his lips. "You guys have to get over here now! We have a huge problem!"

Keira raised an eyebrow, but nodded and waved to Vin. "Thanks for the info, Vin. We'll let Torn know what's going on!"

Tess and Daxter hanging from her shoulders, Keira lept into her zoomer, setting the hood to crawl over their heads and close off the vehicle. The zoomer sped off, leading them around this corner and that, winding its way through the industrial district and toward the mall area. They were just exiting the red-lit industrial area, when Keira slammed on the breaks, sending the two ottsels in the seat beside her flying into the front window. "Ow! Keira!" Daxter whined.

"Seatbelt." Was all the answer Keira gave before she flipped the zoomer around and sped away from city hall.

Daxter put a hand to his head, having been thrown back into his seat by Keira's sudden resumption of acceleration. "Keira, what the hell's going on?"

"I saw Jak." She stated simply. Rounding a corner, her eyes landed on the blond figure, stumbling out of the way of the occasional passer-by. She leaned forward before rolling down her window and yelling out, "Jak!" He did not turn his head, nor make any indication she had spoken to him. She raised an eyebrow, but within seconds, the look in her eyes shifted from confused to concerned. The way his feet unevenly hit the ground, the way a single hand kept returning to rub at his head, the way he occasionally placed a free hand on the wall to steady himself, and the way his body remained hunched slightly as he moved; something was wrong.

The zoomer parked itself rather suddenly, sending Tess and Daxter flying forward again. Jak's form quickly ducked into an alleyway, and Keira wasted no time in leaping from the still-running zoomer, taking off after him. By the time she rounded the corner, he had stopped, his form crouched against the wall, heavy pants coming from his shivering form. "Jak...?"

Jak's form jolted as though startled. He turned, his eyes wild with fear; it was an alien look on him. Keira knelt at his side, her eyes soft and warm. "Jak... what's wrong? Are you hurt? Where are your goggles and headband...?"

"Oh god, Keira..." He muttered quietly. His large hands suddenly had a solid grip on her arms, holding his head close to her. "I think... I don't..."

Keira blinked, but placed her arms gently around him. He was drenched. How long had he been walking in this rain? The dreary cloud which seemed to hang in the air when rain fell almost stifled them and she soon hauled him to his feet and worked him into the zoomer. "Don't worry, Jak. Torn will help you out and you can tell us what happened." Jak was silent through the short ride back to City Hall, Daxter not even having the guts to inquire of his ventures in Kras. They parked in an overshadowed area, allowing them refuge from the rain, and it took them a good twenty minutes to pull Jak up to the main room. The large elf was leaned against the side wall where he seemed to doze off. Torn gave her a wary look as she entered.

"What's the problem?"

Torn looked down where their current pieces of the slate will were strewn. There were five all together now, and Torn seemed troubled as they looked over them. "We think we may know what the weapon is."

Keira leaned forward as the five pieces were moved to present to her. One piece had attached to the beginning of the will, extending the first section, and that part alone cause a hand to move over her mouth. The other piece had been an addition onto the latter half of the will, adding more than a full sentence to the beginning of the latter section. She read the total.

_Well, Rayn dear, it seems there is a late addition to the will, as it is a discovery, I have only recently become aware of. You see, in my dealings with the group known as the Underground, there was a singular man who caught my eye. He had been sent on a delivery to my bar, and seemed to do very well. But I-_

Her eyes moved to the lower portion.

_The dark eco infused within him, I discovered during my studies of him on his missions, had created in him a separate being, a second personality if you will. This second side is incredibly powerful, the ideal weapon which will shoot you to the top of the heap in Haven City. This weapon is easily strong enough to withstand an entire army. With this in your possession, it should be easy to make whatever moves you require. The mark should allow the enclosed device to control every brain wave pattern you choose. There are instructions on using the device enclosed separately. Use him well, Rayn._

Keira looked up at Torn and Ashelin, her lips forming two words, though her voice did not lend itself, 'dark eco'. She then turned to look at the half-conscious elf slumped against the back wall. He was looking back at her.

"It's talking about me, isn't it?" He inquired weakly.

Torn took a few steps forward. "You knew? Jak, what the hell is going on?!"

Jak put a sluggish hand to his forehead. "I don't... I don't really know. All I know is... I don't remember ever making it to Kras City. I don't remember leaving Haven. I woke up... and I was standing on some stage... in a giant racing ring. Rayn was beside me. She took out a dark eco crystal... and that's all I remember." His hand dropped and he looked up at the ceiling. "But before I passed out again, I saw my reflection in the glass at the back." He placed two fingers to his forehead. "And right here was a tattoo."

"There's nothing there, though." Ashelin defended.

Jak's fingers rubbed faintly at the skin. "And I don't feel anything here either. I don't know where it went."

"Let's not rush to conclusions, Jak." Keira warned him, her eyes stern. "You have no proof you're the one talked about in this will."

Jak's eyes were fiercer than he intended when he looked up at her to answer. "Name one other person who worked for both Krew and the Underground who was pumped full of dark eco by the Baron. There's just no one else."

"But you haven't killed anyone!" Blue-haired one insisted.

"Not that I remember..." He muttered. He placed a hand to his head. "You and Daxter... both mentioned that on two different nights, I left the apartment. But I don't remember ever getting up." He sighed before working himself to his feet. His eyes ran over the will for a few moments and put a hand to his chin. After a moment, Torn and Ashelin joined him, none too keen on adding anything to the lack of conversation. Torn's eyes ran across the will for a long moment. Eventually he indicated the last few sentences.

"Think this thing about the brain waves has anything to do with it?" He inquired. "And it mentions a mark. If Jak really is the weapon, do you think the tattoo is the thing that allows her to control brain waves?"

Jak fell silent, his eyes glazing and staring lifelessly at the will.

Ashelin raised and eyebrow. "That doesn't make any sense. Devices don't just control brain waves. At the most a device would simply be able to influence the brain waves. And I find it hard to believe that if Jak is the weapon, he could possibly be influenced into doing these things. Jak's not a mass murderer."

Jak remained still and silent.

"And he has far too strong of a mind to do anything Rayn might want him to." Keira insisted.

Jak glanced up for a moment, looked around, then returned his eyes to the ground.

"Well... let's stick with mind control for now. The will presents the idea of controlling brain waves, not influencing them. How would it be possible to control the mind, no matter who the weapon is?"

Jak crossed his arms, and a smirk overtook his lips.

"I suppose... if there was something else in the equation... like a substance which increases the effect of the device, or decreases the brain waves' resistance.

Jak finally spoke.

"This conversation is cute and all, but I simply can't bear it anymore." He laughed. Keira raised an eyebrow at him.

"What's wrong with you, Jak? We're trying to figure this out! Shouldn't you be-?" She cut herself off, her eyes going wide at the sight of his. Jak's eyes held no iris and no pupil. Solid black stared back at him, the same sinister darkness which saturated his dark side. "Jak... what's going...?"

"So you're Keira, huh?" He inquired, placing a hand to her chin, lifting it up and examining her. "Jak's mind is full of you, you know that?" He wrinkled his nose. "I do remember seeing you at the Kras City championship. You're nothing too special. I wonder what you have that I don't?"

Keira jerked her face away. "What the hell are you talking about?"

Torn growled. "Keira, get away from him! Look at his forehead!"

Keira looked up, spying the tattoo across his brow. At first it remained dim, allowing them to see the intricate design. It was an elongated tattoo, several different symbols belonging obviously to precursor language were scrawled across his skin, each one flowing into the next, forming a singular design. The glow brightened, and view of the design was lost. She took several steps backward, looking him over. "You're... that's Rayn, talking isn't it?"

"So the girl at least has a brain on her." Jak chuckled, crossing his arms and shrugging. "I suppose that's one thing. But I have a brain too, and yet Jak never seemed all that interested in me."

"Hmm, I wonder why." Torn shot mockingly. "It couldn't possibly be the mind control bit. I mean... who gets angry over that?"

Jak scoffed. "Whatever." He put a finger to his chin. "Either way. You seem to have some questions about your buddy here. Perhaps I should talk with you face to face. I'd rather see your expressions for myself anyway." He smiled and pressed a few buttons on the control panel, a disembodied head appeared, floating above the circular table. It was a gently feminine face, eyes slanted and nicely decorated, hair pulled back and held with small oriental pins.

"Rayn." Ashelin growled.

Jak closed his eyes and leaned his back against the table, crossing his arms, and waiting silently as Rayn spoke. She giggled slightly. "Well... the looks on your faces are already quite interesting."

Keira was at Jak's side in a second, placing a hand on his shoulder and giving it a shake. "Jak?" Jak's eyes remained half-open. Returning to normal, though not giving a response. He merely stood still.

"I wouldn't bother, dear." Rayn's voice dripped with false comfort. "He won't move until I tell him to. I think I'll park him there for now."

Keira glared at her. "What do you want?"

"Well, I thought I'd clear some things up for you." She shrugged.

Torn raised an eyebrow. "Wouldn't that be hurtful to you?"

She smirked. "You obviously don't know what you're up against, Torn." She muttered. "The only reason I would have to keep my power over Jak a secret would be if there was a danger of losing that power. But you don't seem to understand the extent of my control. She closed her eyes, giving a careless shrug. "I certainly am not interested in divulging how the device works. After all, you can figure that out for yourself. I don't mind."

Torn growled. "If you won't tell us that, how about you tell us how the hell this all came to be? I'm sure we're all interested in listening to your glorious inheritance into this... weapon."

Rayn paused and sighed. "Patronizing me won't get you anywhere, Torn." She sighed. "Though I suppose I could tell you a little bit." She smirked. "It turns out that it was good idea not to kill you all after the Kras City championships. Because about... six months after that, I discovered a small section of the will which had been left out. You already know part of what was on it. And so I began to test him out. Turns out the first time I did, he was on a mission. It was amazing how easily he killed those Krimson Guards. The ease told me that it had only taken a fraction of his power to kill them."

Ashelin's hand covered her mouth. "Oh god... the attack six months ago." She looked to Torn.

Rayn shrugged. "After you guys sent him to the wastelands, I was having a difficult time. After all, I could control him from that far away, but he wasn't near any of my targets. So... I allowed you to find certain parts of Father's will. I figured that would send you running to Jak, and he'd be back in Haven City. Seems it worked pretty well."

"And since then you've been using him to attack and destroy the different crime lords to take over their resources and manpower." Torn finished for her.

"Well, at least you have brains enough to figure that part out." She shrugged. "But it's been oddly simple. I didn't think I would be so fortunate as to have such predictable enemies." The group directed a collective glare at the communicator. "I don't see what you're all so angry about! I mean... I only borrow him at night, and I even shower him before I send him home so he doesn't smell like blood. No need to get so mad!"

Torn glared at her, humiliation fueling his anger. "And why the hell would you tell us all this?"

Rayn glanced to him, then smiled as Jak looked up and pointed at him, black eyes laughing. "Because of that." Rayn's voice echoed his own, coming from the communicator above the table. "Your face is absolutely priceless." They gave a laugh, and Jak fell silent, now standing at attention as Rayn spoke on her own.

"You fail remember type of family mine is. If you'll remember what Father was like, you'll recall we enjoy not only what we do, but we also like to stick around for the after-show. The part when the people around us realize what the affect has been." She giggled again. "Though perhaps a more compelling reason is simply because I felt like it. Jak came to himself for a few moments while I was dealing with Bade's people, so I figured he was going to squeal what he knew to you. I decided I might as well let you know what was happening."

Ashelin sneered. "So you could prove just how helpless we are by showing off your control."

Rayn smiled innocently. "You know me too well."

"Not really. but you have some predictability to you." Torn mumbled.

She seemed surprised. "Oh really? Aww." She pouted for a moment, then perked up as an idea seemed to come to her. "Oh! How about I do this?"

Jak came to life once more, as though a machine booting up. Black eyes were consumed with the smile which ran across his mouth, and hands were held to the side, stance widening. Rayn's face vanished immediately, and Jak smiled. "I suppose I could use a workout." He muttered, rolling a shoulder back and cracking his neck to the side.

"Rayn, what the hell do you think you're doing?" Torn growled, taking a protective stance before Ashelin.

Jak shrugged. "Not talking to Rayn anymore, dude." He smiled. "It's all me."

"Torn, get outta the way!" Daxter shouted, coming into the situation for the first time. Torn's eyes went wide, slamming a hand across Ashelin's shoulders and taking her down with him as his body flew out of the way of Jak's foot. Jak continued, stomping his foot down and narrowly missing Torn's ankle. Ashelin rolled her body backward over her head, standing up behind her other, and moving away, pulling a knife from her boot. Torn's eyebrows came to a point and a foot was thrown upward at Jak's middle.

Two large hands caught the foot, easily swinging his weight around and into the table. Torn yelped, his back bending rapidly against the table, but immediately got back to his feet. Daxter lept to Keira's shoulder. "Torn! You gotta get away from him and use a weapon! Jak doesn't have anything, so you gotta use that against him!" Keira gave him a look. Daxter shrugged. "What? You honestly think I can spend half my life with this guy and not know how he fights?"

Jak's black eyes turned to the small ottsel and his form began lumbering quickly toward them. Keira took a step backward, giving something akin to a whimper. He did not reach the target of his aggression, however, as a small form rammed into his side, sending them both to the ground. Ashelin stood, flipping herself away from Jak, and standing some feet away. Jak hopped to his feet, making a grab for her arm. Her body slipped from his grasp, quickly sliding between his legs and standing behind him. Knife was raised to strike, though was caught by the controlled one's own hand, wrenched from her grasp, and aimed back at her.

A bullet grazed his arm, the weapon falling from his hands, and his eyes shot momentarily toward Torn before his grip on Ashelin's arm resumed, and she was swung around his body and thrown against Torn's. The two collapsed in a pile across the room, and Jak turned his attention now to where Keira's position was.

Or had been.

A small form was shoved against his own, Keira's arms wrapping tightly around his middle, her face burying itself into his chest. "Jak, wake up! It's us!" She cried. Jak gagged slightly, his arms frozen in place at his sides, and black eyes suddenly liquid with uncertainty.

"Keira, are you crazy?!" Daxter shouted from across the room.

Torn sat up, a hand to his middle. "Get away from him, Keira!"

Keira's grip was tight as Jak seemed to come round, black eyes narrowing again, and a hand swiftly moving to clench about her neck. Keira coughed, though her grip did not relinquish. Jak's eyes suddenly went wild with panic. "Let go!" He cried. The heat at his chest seemed to be rising. Focused as it was, it felt as though someone were pressing a heated object against his skin. The pressure rose, as though she were moving closer to him, and his will to crush her neck seemed to ebb, his grip slacking and eventually his hand released her entirely, barely noticing the surprised look she gave him.

Teeth gritted as the heat at his chest vanished, turning to ice and spreading through his body as though it had been doused with water. Keira backed up as a transformation overcame his body, and Daxter hollered happily behind her. Black eyes changed to solid white, glow overtaking his body. Blue and white filled the room, eight tentacle-like protrusions shot from his back, webbing stringing itself invisibly between them. Hands were folded behind his back and he stood still.

"Score one for the Dark and Light Brigade!" the ottsel called happily.

Keira backed up a bit more and Torn called from across the room, "What the hell just happened?!"

Daxter paused for a moment, then scratched his head. "Oh yeah. You guys have never met Light Jak, have you?"

"Light Jak?" Keira repeated, standing straight and taking a step back toward Jak. He did not move, nor did his blank expression change. She seemed a little less wary, considering Daxter's apparent celebration.

Daxter nodded. "Yeah. Apparently he can suck up light eco just like dark eco. And so... he's got both dark and light sides." He pointed at him, then shrugged. "He's pretty docile when he's like this, though."

Keira placed a hand to his face for a moment before leaning herself against him in an embrace. Jak's arms did not move until the light faded from his body and he returned to normal. She looked up and smiled. "Jak... you're back, right?"

"Yeah." He did not reciprocate the smile. "Are you alright?" She gave a nod, then followed his changing gaze to the other side of the room, to where Torn and Ashelin were working themselves to their feet. "How about you guys?"

Torn coughed slightly, as did Ashelin, but he shrugged. "I think I've been worse. You're a pretty deadly guy, Jak."

Jak's face flushed crimson, then sighed. "I didn't seriously hurt anyone, did I?"

Keira shook her head. "We're fine. I think we're a little shaken is all."

A hand grabbed Jak's wrist. He looked up at Torn. "Get to the medical wing now. We're running some tests immediately. We've gotta figure what just happened." He placed a hand on his arm. "And we may want to bandage this." He pointed at the bullet graze.

Jak blinked. "You know... if I didn't know better, I'd say you pulled a gun on me." He growled.

"Yeah. I told you that you were a pretty dangerous guy. I wasn't saying that to flatter you, Jak. You tried to kill us." Torn shot back. "Go. Now."

Jak rolled his eyes as Keira hauled him out the door and toward the elevator. Torn looked to Ashelin. "You alright?"

"I don't know." She stood straight. "My body is fine... but my mind is wondering how deep in trouble we are right now."

Torn placed an arm arund her shoulders. "We'll run some tests and see what we can do to get rid of Rayn's control."

Ashelin nodded, but couldn't shake the rather ominous feeling which churned her stomach.

* * *

Bijin: Woo! The plot thickens and now the real battle begins! Sorry. So cheesy, but I had to say it. Anyway... hope you've enjoyed it so far. Let me know what you think!

**Next Chapter: Helpless**


	7. Helpless

Bijin: Next chapter... GO!

* * *

**Chapter 7: Helpless**

"We can't remove the tattoo?!" Keira cried in something close to a shriek. Torn clapped a hand over her mouth, signaling to the still-sleeping Jak. She calmed herself and looked back at the doctor as Daxter repeated the question from Ashelin's shoulder.

"What do you mean we can't remove the tattoo?!"

The doctor sighed, letting her clipboard-laden hand fall to her side. "Look... that tattoo has been there for over a year. It's like a plant. Beneath the skin of his forehead, receptors have grown like roots. They are now spread to every section of his brain. If you want to try and uproot that tattoo, fine. But it will unhinge his brain in the process."

Torn took a step forward as Keira moved a step closer to Jak. "We've been told that someone is controlling his brain patterns and forcing them to match another person's. But from what we understand, that's not normally possible."

The doctor took a long moment to think. "Well, it's not normally possible, no. The inclusion of the human soul into the equation stops the brain waves from being completely controlled. Unless..." She paused until Ashelin egged her to say more. "Well... if there was an eco agent inside the body, then it could be possible. Dark eco would probably work the best. It would weaken the brain waves of the victim, and strengthen the force of the receptors. But only if the receptors were built that way. But that still doesn't make any sense since eco doesn't just flow through the body like water."

_Not in normal bodies, anyway._ Torn looked to his slumbering comrade. "So... if there was a steady supply of dark eco for the victim to feed off of, then the brain waves could possibly be controlled?" She nodded and he sighed. "Well, we know how that works anyway." He paused and Ashelin jumped in with another question.

"How would we be able to remove the ability to control his brain waves? There must be a device, right?"

"Yes. The receptors and few transmitters in the tattoo respond to a certain device. It's probably something like a headset."

"Well, if we destroy the device, then it should free up his mind and even if we can't remove the tattoo, it'll make the tattoo useless." Torn shrugged.

"Not exactly. The device would be designed specifically to transmit and receive information to and from the tattoo. Meaning it is in constant connection. You destroy the device, and the feedback sent into the tattoo will most likely wipe out his higher brain functions. So unless you want him to be a vegetable for the rest of his life, you better keep that device in tact."

Torn clapped a hand to his face. "This is ridiculous. How the hell did that tattoo get so grounded into his brain?"

The doctor gave a shrug. "It's been there for a while, like I said. Though I would imagine it was given some kind of... fertilizer. Something to promote the expansion of the tattoo's influence. Something like that could be as obvious as an injection, or as simple as a powder. Difficult to say."

"It was a powder."

Group attention turned to Keira. She stared at Jak's face for a moment. "Tess said that shortly after Jak started working for Krew, Krew began having Tess put a special powder in all of the drinks Jak ordered. I'll bet you anything that was the fertilizer."

"She said that he coated the gun upgrades in the same stuff." Daxter added.

"Damn... Rayn really cornered us on this one."

A silence fell over the group as the doctor pulled Torn from the room to fill out paperwork. Keira glued herself to Jak's bedside, a hand gently caressing the side of his face. "This explains so much, I suppose."

Daxter nodded. "His tiredness... the smell of shampoo every morning... the unexpected trip to Kras... his strange behavior... everything. It was because Rayn was using him."

Ashelin stared at the floor for a long moment, her mind lost in thought. A few fingers moved across her lips before she spoke up. "Daxter... what happened last night? How did he turn into Light Jak? I mean... none of us have ever even seen or heard about that side of him. Meaning he doesn't go into that stage very often or easily. So... what happened there?"

Daxter hummed for a moment, swinging small legs over the side of the bed. Keira perked up as well. "Well... there are only three ways that Jak becomes one side or the other." He held up a small finger. "One... he stores eco up in his body and unleashes his stores so the eco overtakes his body." He held up a second small finger. "Two... a large amount of eco is shoved into him at once and it overwhelms his stores enough to spill out into his mind and body. And three, emotional overload. High emotions will trigger a transformation. But usually it's only temporary and he reverts back to normal in a few seconds."

"Well, knowing Rayn, she most likely has kept him full of dark eco if that's how the brain waves are being controlled. Come to think of it, it's probably why she went after Locke, so she would have his suppliers and therefore a steady supply of it. So where did the light eco come from?" Ashelin muttered. A silence fell over the room, Daxter's small black eyes wandered about, as though looking for the location of the eco in question. He suddenly cried out and pointed at Keira.

"Waah!"

Keira jumped and placed a hand to her chest. "Daxter, what the heck is wrong with you?"

"Your pendant! Where's your pendant? The one Jak gave you."

Keira paused again- Ashelin overlooking the exchange with a rather dull look in her eye- before digging into the top of her shirt and producing the golden necklace. Eyes widened around the room. The golden mount sat shimmering in the light, and completely empty. The light eco crystal had been removed and the pendant now stood bare against her shirt. "What? Where'd the gem go?"

Daxter smiled. "Well... now we know where light Jak came from." He looked up. "Eco crystals are simply mass amounts of eco pressurized into a stone. Kind of like a diamond. When this touched Jak's body, he must've sucked the light eco up like a sponge and replaced the dark eco controlling his brain waves."

Ashelin stared at the ottsel for a moment. "And when did you suddenly start thinking on this level, Daxter?"

Daxter scoffed. "I always think at a high level, Sweet Stripes. You all are just too low to fully comprehend my genius."

Keira rolled her eyes. "So... the light crystal will bring him out of the stage Rayn puts him in and will calm him down?"

Daxter nodded. "Yeah... so I'm sure that the other ones that we brought from Spargus with us will come in handy."

"How many do you have?" asked Keira.

Daxter's small mouth was clapped closed, Ashelin's hand locked firmly atop it. He shot her a look, however, she diverted said look toward their sleeping comrade. A glowing symbol flared to life upon his bow. Ashelin glared angrily. "We know you're listening Rayn. You made a mistake when you told us what you are doing. We will get Jak back. No matter what we have to do." Taking Daxter into her hand and ushering Keira quickly out the door, Ashelin scoffed.

* * *

Rayn smiled and sank into her chair. That woman certainly had a feistiness to her. However, she was clearly off-base. Full control was full control. Something that could not be easily broken. Her own overconfidence within her abilities would be her downfall. There was no one who would take her weapon away. Father had made sure of that.

That appearance of this new side of him concerned her, however. A side which was able to temporarily banish her control. Smile faded into a thin line of concentration. "I'll have to keep a steady supply of dark eco in him." She glanced to the side, pointing at the man who sat across from her. "Go get me Locke's second in command. We need to talk about a certain method of distribution." The man scurried to obey and she glowered at the wall. "If they think they have a chance of taking my Jak away from me, they have another thing coming. I'll show them just how helpless they truly are."

* * *

Keira slid the door slowly open, giving a belated knock as she entered, Daxter scurrying in the small crack as she peered inside. "Torn, Ashelin? Mind if I come in?"

Daxter seemed perfectly content to not ask entry permission and heaved himself dramatically upon the table. "It's alright... it'll all be alright now. I am here."

Torn rolled his eyes and waved Keira inside, craning his neck slightly. "Jak's not with you is he?"

A simple shake of the head. "No. He's been sleeping all day. Tess had to open the Naughty Ottsel, so she's gonna be there with him. She'll be able to tell if he leaves or not."

Ashelin seemed to blink a few times, rehydrating dried eyes. "Open the Naughty Ottsel? What time is it?"

"Almost nine pm. You guys have been up here for a while." Daxter chuckled as he took a seat upon the table. "You been making out or what?"

Torn flushed a powerful red and looked to the side. "For your information, we've been working on a plan to get us out of this mess. If all you fuzz balls can do is baby-sit a sleeping guy, you shouldn't be asking questions like that."

Daxter crossed his arms and tossed his hip. "Well, you guys haven't been able to provide any missions of my caliber!" He defended. "I mean isn't there _some_ crime lord that needs taking down? Maybe a few hundred metal heads that need slaying?" He examined his fingernails suavely. "There aren't even any fine-looking ladies to make swoon, so don't complain to me that I haven't been doing anything."

"Hey Torn... be nice, alright?" Keira chuckled, taking a seat.

He sighed, Ashelin placing a hand on his shoulder. "We're just a little frustrated, Daxter. Rayn is a difficult person to deal with." She fell silent and Keira motioned them to continue. Torn stood and began pacing, agitation within his steps. "Well, Jak apparently doesn't remember anything of where Rayn is located. She was sure to begin her control before he left the house and end it after he got back. So he has no memory of her location. He said that his dreams often seem as links to what he was really doing, but he only has those when the dark eco stores in his body run low. And even during those dreams he isn't in her hideout."

"So we figured that the only real way to find her is to make her come to us." Tattooed woman muttered quietly. "But that's proving to be more of a challenge than we originally thought."

"We couldn't just follow Jak one night? You know... see where Rayn takes him?" Keira suggested simply, shrugging.

"Following never really was an option." Torn shook his head. "We have no guarantee that Rayn will actually take him to her hideout and not lead him straight to another crime lord. That would leave us completely at her mercy. No matter where he goes, she will have the upper hand. We need a plan that we can control. Something that we have the upper hand in."

"The thing is, this is Rayn we're talking about. It's like trying to outsmart Krew. He taught her everything she knows and he even left her things to work with. Thinking up a plan that she can't thwart is proving difficult."

Ashelin rubbed her temples.

"We need to break it down and start from the beginning!" Daxter cried, scurrying about the table. Papers and rough sketches flew in all directions, the small ottsel being sure to kick off any loose leafs as he went. A hand clapped across his middle and tightened, lifting him up to stare at a rather cross-looking Torn.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" He demanded irately.

"Starting from the beginning." Daxter stated meekly. Torn stared angrily at him for a moment. "Look.. you need some outside eyes. You guys have been working on this all night. Let me help, and I'll come up with the perfect plan!" A small finger was held in the air, then motioned blithely behind him. "And Keira can help too."

A distinct huff.

"So let's start over. We can do it." He shrugged.

Keira leaned on the table and sighed. "But where do we even begin? I mean... Rayn is a genius. Krew gave her the tools, yes, but she has manipulated them and us into a corner. Not to mention she has more manpower than we do currently. And even I can tell we don't have much time. I don't know what she intends to do, but it won't be long before she has all the power she needs to do it."

"Alright alright alright." Torn sighed and tossed the ottsel onto the table. "Let's start with our side then. Don't worry about Rayn for a little bit. Assuming we force her to come out of hiding, what can we use against her?"

There was an odd silence across the table. The presence of her weapon, their very companion, seemed to hang over them. "But... it's Jak." Keira muttered despairingly. "Whatever we use... has to be used against him. We can't hurt him, and she knows that."

Daxter waved a hand. "Eh, Jak can take a few hits." Keira glared at him.

"Then we need to get Jak out of the picture." Torn waved a hand. "We need to force her into a position where she can't use him."

"But that's the very problem." Ashelin groaned. "We ran into this earlier today as well. She can use him as long as she has a smidgen of dark eco in him."

"Well... as far as we know, she can't use him now. We got rid of all of his dark eco with that light eco... crystal... that's it!" Keira stood suddenly, knocking her chair to the floor behind her. Torn and Ashelin gripped the table at her outburst while the ottsel simply flopped to the side and right onto the floor. "Light Jak! He's our weapon against Rayn. He's the only thing that can get rid of her control entirely. The light eco overwhelms the dark eco and pushes it out like it did the other day."

"So... we need to turn him into light Jak. But how do we use that to lure Rayn out?" Daxter inquired, hoisting himself back onto the tabletop.

Ashelin stood as well, though her chair remained upright. "Think about this for a moment..." She placed a hand to the center of the group, as though it was her example. "If he runs out of dark eco... Rayn won't be able to communicate with him. Obviously she'll know that something is wrong, right? So she'll have to do something to put dark eco back into him. That way she can restore her control."

Torn seemed to catch on. "Indeed. So she'll need to have some way to go to him and place the eco physically into his body. It's the only way." He stood as well.

Keira leaned back slightly. "But then... where are we going to get that kind of eco? Light eco is rare."

Another silence. Torn turned and began pacing with agitation once more, a hand held to his chin. "Yeah. Light eco is much more rare than dark eco. Dark eco you can find in metal head bodies and several other things. Light eco, not so much. We would need a... a vent or something. Some place where eco collects and shoots to the surface."

"The precursor temple!" Ashelin cried, pointing at him as though he were the vent. Daxter toppled off the table once more. "The precursor temple is full of light eco vents."

"Don't forget... it's also full of dark eco vents." Daxter grumbled, hauling himself to the table once again.

Torn sighed. "We wouldn't want him going anywhere that there are dark eco vents. If Rayn can just give him a whiff of it we've lost him."

"So we need a place that has only light eco vents." Ashelin sighed, staring at the ground in thought. "You know of any place Daxter? You traveled more than any of us."

Daxter put a paw to his chin. "I seem to remember there was one place... it was a light eco vent... and that's all there was. I remember thinking it was strange. But... where was it?"

"So the idea is to have him stand in the light eco long enough for Rayn to get the idea that she needs to come out of hiding and put some dark eco into him. Otherwise she won't be able to control him anymore." Ashelin shrugged.

"Wait... this is Rayn we're talking about. Think about how she used us in the Kras City Championship." Torn held out a stopping hand. "What on earth makes us think that Rayn will come herself?"

Another pause. Daxter stood and ran his hands quickly along his body. "She'll come to experience my sexiness, what else? Just send a nude picture of me, and she'll be putty in your hands." He laid upon his side, propping his head within his paw and giving an assuring smile to Torn. Torn quickly swept him off the table once more.

"So she'll probably send some lackeys." Keira flopped into her chair. "And I doubt we can count on them squealing information, either."

"We may be able to. If she sends lackeys that aren't loyal to her, say some guys that were pirated from Locke's group, they may be more inclined to talk." Torn motioned to no one in particular. He seemed to convince himself otherwise and held his hand in place, bobbing his head once. "Then again, she may only trust it to her own loyals to care for her most powerful asset. Jak is precious and vital to her. She wouldn't trust his care taking to anyone but either herself or one of her most trusted loyals."

A cry echoed outside the door. A deep and raspy voice, one they were all familiar with.

Keira stood once more. "Jak?"

A light flashed upon the table and a tone sounded at intervals. Torn hit a button. "Tess? Is that you?"

The transparent ottsel's head floated to life at the table's center. Daxter smiled and leapt to his feet. "Tess, you look hot even as a floating head." He quickly blew a kiss, but for once, Tess seemed to be focusing on something quite non-Daxter.

"Torn, Jak's gone! It got really busy at the bar and I wasn't able to check on him for a while, and when I went up to check on him, he was gone! He must've slipped out among the crowds. Do you know where he is?"

Another cry.

Torn glared at the door. "I think I have an idea." The communicator was switched off as a third cry echoed from right outside the door.

"Damnit! Stop it! Let me go!"

The door swung open and even a well-timed flash of ominous lightning could not have made the scene more horrid. Jak's form stood hunched against the door frame, as though he could barely support his own weight, breaths coming in heaves. Goggles and headband were clutched in his hands while the tattoo glowed mockingly at all of them. Normally blue eyes were solid black, and glaring wide at the ground, wild with some unknown anxiety. A stench assaulted their nostrils, filling their senses with the smell of blood.

From head to toe, Jak was splattered and speckled with the thick red substance. It matted his short blonde hair, shining a sickly orange. Wiped across his face, moved and smeared this way and that by his hands. Shirt clung to his form, saturated with red, showing off every curve in his chest, muscles shimmering with blood. Pants remained a darker color and seemed more saturated than the rest as blood dripped from the bottom of his pant legs, leaving a trail in his wake. As though pulled up by an invisible string, he stood straight, body shivering as he was marched slowly across the room.

"God damnit!" He cried angrily. "Rayn, stop it!"

The group couldn't help but stare. That form, covered in blood spouting swears and shouts at that controlling force. His body no longer only his. Slowly his feet carried him around the room once until they reached a corner to one side of the door. Dropping to sit down, legs crossed and arms locked behind his back as though tied, Jak swore to the ceiling. "Let me go! Just get me out of these clothes! Someone get this shit off of me!" He shook his head, as though trying to get some of it off his face. He looked to Torn, Ashelin, Keira, and Daxter who merely stared on in horror.

There were no bonds they could cut. Nothing they could do. Torn's hands balled into angry fists at his side. "Damnit, Rayn... you enjoy this far too much."

Ashelin looked away, now staring at the floor behind Torn. "She's toying with us. Showing just how helpless we are. Showing what she can do."

Keira was rooted to the spot. Jak's throat began producing something akin to an animal's growl, a low and rageful tone. He sat, wallowing unwillingly in the blood of those his hands had slain. His mind ravaged and taken from him, his body stolen and used for slaughter. Had Rayn allowed him his mind while the killing had happened? Tears gathered at the corner of her eyes, but she forbade them to fall. Strength was the only thing she could offer Jak in this instance, and she would stand strong. Forcefully, her legs began to eat up the distance between herself and her curled up other, locked in the corner.

Someone had already beat her to it.

A small furry creature had scurried quickly across the floor and climbed onto Jak's lone shoulder guard, paying no mind to the blood which soaked into his fur. He laid upon the blood-soaked metal and leaned slightly into Jak's neck, waiting. Simply existing. Offering a silent comfort perhaps only Jak could understand and accept. Keira moved to his other side, and while there was a slight hesitation in her movements, she knelt at his side and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, blood also soaking into her clothes and hair. Cheek was pressed against his and she held tight, waiting. What she was waiting for, she truly didn't know.

The growling stopped to be replaced with a steady breathing. Glow faded. Consciousness had gone along with the control.

Torn remained quiet for a long moment, not taking his eyes off of the blood-soaked figure in the corner of the room, Ashelin's head resting upon his shoulder. After an eternity of silence, he took a few heavy steps forward, stooped, and gently scooped Jak into his arms, Daxter scurrying to curl up on the unconscious elf's stomach.

As Torn left the room, Keira remained, staring at the stained floor where he had sat. Ashelin slowly approached and placed a hand to her shoulder. "You alright?"

"What did she...? How could she do something like that to him?"

Ashelin established a grip upon her upper arm and hauled her to her feet. "Come on. Let's see what we can do to save him from her."

* * *

The room was entirely silent for a long time, water dripping and echoing eerily against the tiled walls and floors of the bathroom. Toilet seat had been pulled down to provide a seat for Torn, allowing him to rest right next to the bathtub, where Jak slept. Dressing him in some swimming trunks, Torn had propped him up in the tub, leaving his collarbone and up above surface. Ashelin stood toward the back of the room, leaning against the wall, arms and ankles crossed. Keira's small form had been knelt beside the tub, one arm upon her lap, and the other clutching a towel which dabbed away at the blood smeared upon his face. The small furry ottsel resided in the tub water with his companion. Most of the blood had been drained away and the tub refilled with clean water, allowing now for some thinking time.

"We may need to revise our plan." Torn uttered suddenly. Daxter splashed suddenly in surprise. The only response he received were a few assorted looks. "This proves one thing... Rayn has the ability to put dark eco in him without actually being there." A pause. "Yesterday, we completely banished all dark eco in his body. Since then he has somehow gained more. I can only assume Rayn has some method of getting it to him. Unless she senses something is seriously wrong, she won't take too much precaution in making moves to put more into him. Specifically not involving her person. She knows she can get it into him. We need to add that ability into the plan."

"And we need to make sure this is a solid plan." Ashelin cut in. "If we try this... and it fails... we could end up dead. She will use Jak to kill us. Not only that, but even if we live, she will know that we are going to try and use light eco against her and it will make things ten times more difficult."

Keira seemed rather disengaged, but she did make a comment into the conversation. "And Jak can't know about it." Her eyes did not leave his face. "If he knows anything about the plan... Rayn will have access to it." She made a quick look to the tattoo. It remained invisible, meaning Rayn wasn't sitting in on the conversation.

Torn stared silently at the wall.

"Daxter, have you remembered where that light eco vent is?" Ashelin inquired. The ottsel remained silent, not giving an answer. An odd state of affairs in which to see the usually light-hearted Daxter.

Keira glanced to Daxter for a moment, then looked back to Jak to begin working upon his hair, rubbing some shampoo into her hands. As she worked through his hair, Torn spoke.

"I think I have an idea that will work. It will probably take a few days to get through... but I think we may have a chance this way. There's only one hole in my plan. And that's the location." He looked to Daxter. "Come on, fuzzball. You've got to remember. Where is that light eco vent?"

Daxter looked up, his eyes finding Keira as she scrubbed her fingers through Jak's hair, the shampoo taking on a pinkish hue. His eyes wandered down, watching something glint as it hung in front of her breasts. The empty necklace Jak made. Something clicked in the back of his mind, but he muttered quietly, "Spargus."

"The light eco vent is in Spargus?" Torn stood straight. "Are you kidding me?" It almost seemed too perfect.

Daxter nodded slowly, black eyes glazed in thought. "They capped it a few months ago, but it is south of the arena. In the marketplace. I'm sure we could easily get them to open it again."

Torn fell silent again, a hand moving to place itself across his mouth. "Could it really be that simple of a solution?" Ashelin approached.

"You have an idea?"

She jumped back as Torn suddenly lept to his feet. A finger jabbed at Keira. "You and Daxter stay here with him until he is clean. I'll send you a few guards to escort you back to the Naughty Ottsel. They will be on patrol all night there to be sure no one gets anywhere near him." He looked to Ashelin. "I have to make a few calls. I want you to assign at least ten soldiers to guard him. I don't want him alone at any time for the next two days. I don't want anyone or anything even _near_ him."

Ashelin nodded. "I'll make it fifteen." He grabbed her arm as she left. "Also, I need your clearance. Tomorrow we will need full use of one of the training areas, and we need it cleared all day long. I want a full platoon to be available to guard it tomorrow as well."

"A full one? Torn that's-!"

"A lot of men, I know." He placed a finger to her lips. "We'll need every single one of them, trust me." He put a finger to his own lips. "Also... tomorrow night, I will need the use of ten guards and a transport ship. I'll send some requests through to you sometime tomorrow." He sighed, a hand on her face. "It'll probably take an all-nighter to pull all this off, but I think we can handle it."

Ashelin shrugged his hand off but gave him a smile. "Don't wear yourself out." She vanished out the door, calling the closest guards, the sound of heavy metal lumbering toward the bathroom.

Torn looked to Keira and gave a rare smile, moving to bend over and place a hand upon her head, his eyes focused upon Jak's sleeping face. "Hang in there, Jak. It's our turn to do something for you." He looked to Keira a steel entering his eyes, ready to give orders. "Once Jak is all cleaned up, go with the guards to the Naughty Ottsel. Don't to anywhere without at least four guards. They will escort you back and stay at Jak's bedside all night, alright? Don't go anywhere alone, and don't let him out of your sight." He jabbed a finger at the unconscious elf. Keira nodded and Torn took off out the door. He froze about halfway down the hall, spotting the five guards that were already standing guard at the bathroom door and the two others on their way down the hall. He smiled and gave a laugh.

"God I love that woman."

* * *

Bijin: Whee... so not interested in typing at the moment. Hope you enjoyed. Lemme know what you think.

**Next Chapter: Plan**

* * *


	8. Plan

Bijin: Okay! Chapter 8! And... that's about it. Not much to say here. Enjoy!

* * *

"GGGAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!"

Keira leaped to her senses, dashing from her place on the couch and into Jak's bedroom. The elf stood, his back pressed against the wall, still in the trunks Torn had placed him in the night before. Blankets clung to his body and he was staring at the surrounding Krimson Guards as though they had two heads apiece. Keira sighed, watching his chest heave up and down in a panic.

"Dear god why are there Krimson Guards in my bedroom?!" He demanded of no one. Wide blue eyes fixed upon Keira and he seemed to calm a small bit. Noticing the flush across her cheeks, he glanced down at his exposed body, the only covering he had being the trunks. Slowly he knelt down and pulled the blankets tight around his form before standing, shivering at the cold floor. "Keira, what's going on? What are all of these guys doing here?"

"Torn told them to come. Rayn stole you again last night, so he figured that just having one person to watch you wasn't enough."

He froze, the events of the night before coming back in a rush. He sank into his bed again. "Oh god... last night..." Head was placed in his hands. Keira's eyes went soft and she took a seat at his side. "I wasn't awake when I... when I..." He trailed off, as though afraid to speak it. "But then I woke up... and... oh my god!" Hands moved to his hair, gripping those golden locks with white-knuckled fists. "There was so much blood... I could hardly see anything except red... and then... she made me walk back to you guys..." One hand moved to grip angrily at his knee while he drove the heel of his other into his temple. "Ugh... that bitch."

Keira leaned her head upon his shoulder. "Jak... it's alright. We'll figure out a way to help you... I know we will."

Jak's movement was swift and quick, and Keira hardly noticed he had moved until she was in his arms, being cradled against his chest with shivering arms. Cheek rested upon the top of her head, and he clung to her like a child. He said nothing, and though she sensed the tears he probably wished to shed, nothing was shown upon his face, save for gritted teeth and a glare filled to the brim with hate. All she could do was wrap her arms around him in turn and hold him, comforting him simply by being there. He need not say anything.

Daxter dashed into the room. "Hey guys, break up the soap opera for a moment. Torn's calling, and we need to get to the palace training arena now."

Keira pulled away and couldn't help but smile at Daxter's energy. The oddly comatose Daxter had set her off a small bit. However, he seemed to be in casual form this morning. Daxter grabbed Keira's pant-leg and began leading her out of the room, leaving Jak to dress himself. Several awkward silences, some bumping, and some embarrassed yells later, Jak emerged from his room, the resident Krimzon Guards following him out. "You know... couldn't these guys leave me alone long enough for me to freaking change my pants?"

"Apparently not." Keira giggled, her face turning that same red color.

The three were ushered into a transport, the guards keeping anyone and everyone a good ten feet away from Jak's awkward form. The drive to the palace was longer than the one to freedom HQ, and the entire thing was completely silent. The overbearing guards seemed almost robotic in their stoically silent helmets and rigid suits. They loomed over the three of them right until they were ushered out of the car and into the room which lead into the largest indoor training area the palace could offer. The wall to the training area was lined with Krimzon guards and their escorts quickly vanished inside. Torn and Ashelin stood at the far end of the room chatting and both perked up as Jak entered.

"Morning, Jak. How're you feeling?" There was a jump in his eyelid which made Jak hesitant to answer.

"Just a little headache... you alright?" He inquired, stooping slightly to get a good look at his face.

"Yeah, I'm fine just a little tired been working all night you know, you have any coffee?" The run-on sentence lost the occupants of the room for a moment, but Jak maneuvered his cautious way to the communicator and dialed a quick number. Tess' head floated to life above it.

"Hey Tess, could you send a few um... pints of coffee to the palace please? Ashelin and Torn are about to die here." He requested.

"No problem... then I'll get to see Daxter!" Daxter gave an enthusiastic wave. She clapped her paws and Jak switched the communicator off.

"Yeah yeah... whatever. As if I didn't see that one coming." He turned and almost immediately Torn quickly rounded his body, clicking a thin, silver, and metal band around his neck. "Definately didn't see that coming, though." A white stone glittered at its front. Another band was locked around each wrist, and each ankle. He looked down at Torn as he worked. "What the hell are you doing?" He looked at his wrist, examining the small device. "What are these things?"

"They're for the project we'll be working on today." He rounded Jak and quickly began shoving him toward the door to the outside training area.

"They're kinda girly." He grumbled.

"Deal with it, move."

The door leading into the training area opened into a massive expanse of field, complete with trees and even a small lake to the side. The area seemed oddly bare, missing most of the obstacles used for training. A few remained, such as a large model of a machine. However, all along the edges of the area were stationed guards, rifles at the ready and visors scanning the area. Jak sighed and rounded on Torn. "Alright. Time for you to tell me what the hell we're doing here."

Torn motioned to the new jewlery. "Those are actually extractors. They pull eco out of whatever we put into the ring. These particular ones have been designed to pull dark eco out of something."

Jak took a moment to stare at the rings, and then turned, looking at the large area. "Wait... are you planning on... you want me to... oh hell no!" He waved both hands wildly. "Do you have any idea how much of a sitting duck you all will be if I do that? I wouldn't lay a finger on you normally, but can you imagine if Rayn figured out what was happening here? I. Would. Kill. You. Do you understand this, Torn?! I'm not doing it."

Torn's eyes went steely once more. "Look Jak. Those rings are meant for pulling eco out of plants and things like that. They aren't designed to dig into a person's eco stores. You're the only person in the world we are aware of that can do that. Your stores are far too deep in your body. You have to make it flow through your body so they can lock onto it and extract it."

"So you want me to go Dark and just go nuts? Waiting for Rayn to take control and make me come after you?! I don't think so. Not happening."

Torn dashed forward, grabbing a fistful of Jak's shirt and yanking him upward slightly. "Listen to me, you idiot. Rayn already put some dark eco into you. If we can get rid of it, we can be safe for a short time. Getting rid of it now would work better than if Rayn took control of you when you weren't in a controlled environment. You will do this. Now go!" Using the other arm as leverage, Torn gave a heave and threw the shorter elf away, tossing him more toward the center of the area.

A small reddish creature dashed after him, quickly scaling his body and maneuvering himself onto his shoulder guard. "Don't worry, Torn! I'll keep him reigned in!" Daxter called behind him.

Keira stood still, her eyes trained on him as he moved. There seemed to be some talking which occurred between Daxter and Jak before a roar was heard, Jak's body writhing and dark eco crackling everywhere like electricity. Skin and hair took on a sickly gray, claws shooting from his fingers. A tree presented itself before him and he tore into it, claws slashing at its bark, taking away chunks of wood at a time. As he worked, Torn sighed. "Daxter better be careful what he says. If he gives away that this is part of my plan he may blow it."

"Daxter knows how important this is, Torn." Ashelin assured him. "He may be a show-off and a goofball, but he truly loves Jak. They're like brothers. He knows what it would mean if we lost Jak." She smiled. "He'll do it right."

There was another silence as Jak continued to find different ways to waste his dark eco, turning on tree after tree, carving each up with his claws until they fell. He followed them down and continued to hack at them. Torn spoke after a long while.

"I researched who Jak killed." There was a knock upon the door and Ashelin hurried to let Tess and her coffee in, pouring a cup for all four of those present. Keira took hers and sipped thoughtfully, turning back to Torn. The man took a long swig of his coffee before speaking again. "Apparently last night he killed at least 30 people. Many more than he normally did." Keira nearly choked on her coffee. "At least 30 bodies were identified. And we don't think we've found all of them."

Ashelin growled. "The entire purpose of the other night was to freak us out. She didn't have to kill that many people. Before, she only killed a few of the criminals. Now she's just using their deaths as a sign to us."

Keira stared at Jak as he took to another tree. Torn continued. "She went after a crime lord named Zeus. She was a mistress of money-making operating under a male name. Zeus owned a long list of pawn shops, dealt in smuggling operations, drug-dealing... anything she could to make money. I assume that fortune was what Rayn was after. She had a large following as well. Rayn must've figured that most of them were expendable." He growled. He glanced to Keira. "Did you get a chance to talk to Jak at all this morning?"

Keira gave a nod. "Yeah. He says that he wasn't aware of himself while he was doing the killing, but he woke up shortly after. I think Rayn wanted him to question the details of what he did." She stared into her mug. "He doesn't know exactly what happened, but he woke up covered in blood. It tortures him that he did something to those people that produced that much blood." She looked back to Jak. "I want to get him out of Rayn's hands as soon as possible."

Torn's hand was felt upon her shoulder. "If all goes as planned, he should be free by tomorrow night."

"Torn! Look out!"

Torn's eye caught movement just in time for him to avoid Jak's large barreling form. The elf gave a roll of his body and leaped back to his feet, brandishing his claws and glancing ragefully between the four present. Tess quickly scurried to sit upon Keira's shoulder, and they gave a large step back. The tattoo was clearly visible and glowing brilliantly, black eyes dashing frantically between them. Daxter had an iron grip upon the shoulder guard and seemed to require such a hold as Jak's movements were quick and jerky.

"I have no idea what you hope to accomplish here, Torn, but you are simply making this too easy!" Jak cried, toothy grin stretching across his lips.

"Damnit! No! You can't do this, Rayn! Not now!" Torn yelled angrily, panic filling his eyes.

"Sorry if I thwarted any plans you may have had, but you once again misunderstand the situation you are in, Torn." Jak chuckled.

"Damnit! Move, guys!" Torn waved both hands, Keira and Ashelin dashing to both sides. Jak took off after the male of the group, swiping both hands at him. Blood began soaking his sleeve as a claw grazed him, but he paid it no heed, glancing once to Jak's neck and pulling a fistful of something from his pocket. Distraction caused his foot to snag and he was sent to the ground, slamming hard against the dirt. Swearing again, he looked back, only to see Jak careen away. Giving a powerful writhe of his body, Daxter kept an iron grip upon the shoulder-guard, grounding his feet into the small of Jak's back and pulling hard, redirecting his fall.

Jak toppled to the ground only to catch sight of Ashelin. Ignoring Torn now, he launched himself forward. Ashelin side-stepped, grabbing an arm and attempting to force him down. Foot caught him and he shoved back against her force. Hand raised to slash across her body.

Thunk!

A rock thudded against his head and he turned to spot Keira. Though this time there was hesitation in his movements, he took off after her now, never minding the movement from Torn's area of the training field. Keira was easily overtaken, a hand grabbing her shoulder and yanking her around to face him. Clawed hand wrapped angrily around her neck and slowly lifted her off the ground.

"No magic crystal this time, eh, girl?" He inquired, a smirk playing on his lips. He froze.

Keira dropped to the ground, giving a few coughs, then glancing up at Torn. Torn stood directly behind Jak, both hands pressed against the dark one's back, light eco flooding from what was left of a crystal into Jak's body. "She doesn't have one." Torn informed him as light blue flooded over his body, the eight tentacles once again shooting out of his back. "But I do."

Jak stood still, hands folding neatly behind his back, solid white eyes staring blankly ahead. Torn sighed and motioned a guard over. A glove was handed to the tattooed man and he began touching certain points upon Jak's chest and back, eventually moving to his legs and arms. He stood and smiled, pulling a small device from his pocket and flipping a switch. "Perfect." The silver bands quickly hopped from his body, unhinging and falling to the ground at their feet. Torn clapped his hands. "You there!" He pointed to the two nearest guards and motioned to the bands. "Take these and dispose of them. I want them destroyed."

The guards bowed and vanished, taking the metal pieces along. Torn wiped a hand across his brow and sighed. "Well... it got a little risky in the middle there, but we managed to pull it off."

Ashelin rubbed her backside and raised an eyebrow. "Risky? You freaked out. Did something go wrong?"

Torn gave her a steely look. "No. But Rayn is a suspicious person. If I give her the impression that this was a huge part of our planning, she may be less cautious in the future." He held the glove up. "This and those bands tell me that Jak has no traces of dark eco anywhere in his body. The first step of the plan is complete. We just need to keep him dark eco-free until tomorrow morning."

A guard trotted back to their position as the light began to fade from Jak's body. He gave a cough and placed a hand to his head, wings falling away. "Ouch... what just happened?"

Keira rushed in to wrap her arms around his middle. "Don't worry about it. You're fine." Jak glanced to where the guard was handing Torn a telephone.

"Hello?" A pause. "Yeah. Fine by me. Ask him." The small communicator was handed off to Jak. "Here. It's from Sig."

"Sig?" Jak repeated, putting the small part to his ear. "Hello?"

"Hey there, Cherry! Bet you missed me, huh?"

Jak sighed. "Um... kinda. What's up?"

"Got some jobs over here been overflowing our workload. Think Spargus could borrow you for a few days?"

Jak fell silent, looking up to Torn. The tattooed man nodded. "I dunno if that's such a good idea right now, Torn."

"Jak look... the truth is, I've been looking for a reason to get you out of the city." Torn admitted suddenly. "Maybe if you distance yourself from Rayn, you'll be able to figure some things out. Just go ahead."

Jak tossed him a glare, but sighed and pulled the phone to his ear again. "You still there, Cherry?" Sig called.

"Yeah, Sig. Um... I'll be there, I suppose. I'll leave... uh... tomorrow morning."

Torn shook his head, waving both hands horizontally. 'Tonight', he mouthed.

"Tonight?" Jak repeated, not sure what to make of Torn's haste.

"Great! I'll see you in a little bit, Cherry."

Click.

Jak stared stupidly at the phone. "Did I just get hijacked?"

"Very funny. We need to move quickly. The less Rayn knows about your movements the better." Torn took a firm hold of his arm and pulled him along behind him, the group suddenly making its way back to the lobby. Four guards followed them out.

"It'll be nice to get away from the city, eh, Jak?" Daxter inquired, leaning lazily against his neck and kicking his feet over the side of Jak's shoulder guard. "A little R&R. Plus all those warrior women." He sighed dreamily.

"Weren't you the one complaining cause you wanted to come home just a few days ago, Dax?" Jak crossed his arms as they were hurried toward the door.

Daxter waved a hand. "That was then... this is now. You gotta stop living in the past, Jak!" A roll of his blue eyes.

"There's a transport that leaves for Spargus in ten minutes, Jak. Nice timing. Get a move on." Ashelin muttered touching a computer screen imbedded in the wall. Jak blinked in bewilderment as they were ushered outside and to a small zoomer. "This'll take you to the transport. See you soon." She tapped the zoomer's hood and headed back into the building.

Jak looked back to Keira. The look in his eyes was one of confusion, and even a small cry for help out of the odd situation. Keira smiled and stepped onto the zoomer long enough to press her lips to his. "I'll be there soon afterward, Jak." Jak blinked at her as she dropped off, the zoomer dashing away from the palace. He looked ahead. That had happened far too fast. A smirk.

"Torn is planning something."

* * *

It was like staring at the blue screen of a computer. Or as if snow had just overtaken an image on television. Her link was gone. She blinked and attemtped to force her brainwaves in again. So brutally cut off? She smirked.

"So... they are carrying the crystals with them are they? In case he goes out of control during the day. How cute." She spun in her chair and stood. "But crystals are rare, and I can't imagine them having hefty stores of them. Once they run out I'll have no opposition left." She looked to her computer screen. "Though that still leaves me with the present problem. Dark eco banished by a crystal... and now the most I can tell is that he is moving." She smirked. So the tattooed elf had begun to hatch a plan. A snap of her fingers and a man rushed into the room.

"Jev... get Li's people on surveillence. I want to know where Jak is going. And get Locke's men on distribution. Once the Li group discovers where he is, I want dark eco there immediately. I don't like being out of communication with my Jak." She waved him off and put her thoughts back to the headset. Scattered images, bits and pieces of what she could siphon before he shut her out again.

A transport.

"They're taking him out of the city. If they think distancing him will stop me, they are dead wrong."

* * *

Bijin: That took forever to edit. I wonder if I was half-asleep when I wrote this chapter. Good lord. Though this was my dead chapter. The chapter that I stopped writing for a while in the middle cause I lost interest or got strangled by World of Warcraft again. Whatever. Review and lemme know what you think.

**Next Chapter: Memories**


	9. Memories

Bijin: Oooooooh, I'm such a bum. I should totally have posted this a few days ago. Oh well. Anyway, hope you enjoy this chapter. The story is drawing to a close. Only a few chapters left to go. Ready...

LAUNCH!

* * *

**Chapter 9: Memories**

Jak sighed, shifting his weight. Spargus was nearly deserted... as it usually was. He stood in his designated spot, glancing this way and that. A leapur hopped by, stopping to chew at him for a second before finding a fleeing Kangarat much more interesting. He looked to the nearest house. The day had been so strange. It was now nearing nightfall. Sun was at around eye-level. Enough so that he had taken to turning around, facing away from it. Spargus was a deceptive city. Buildings stood strong against the powerful desert elements, but certainly seemed to feel the sands' toll. The buildings looked worn down by storms. Almost giving off the feel of abandonment. The lack of commoners on the streets only served to feed this false preconception. Was this on purpose? Usually there was one or two people meandering the streets. Someone making deliveries, or a young man or woman running to an assignment. But today... there was no one. He remained the only person on the streets, standing in the middle of the market like a customer looking for a vendor.

Keira had said she would be along. Had she meant tonight? Or tomorrow? There had been quite a bit of odd rukus earlier. A called meeting of the Spargus citizens, and then they were gone, vanishing to houses or heading out on missions as the majority seemed to have done. Sig had been very cryptic of the prupose behind the orders to stand in this particular place for hours on end. And even Daxter had betrayed him by hopping onto Sig's shoulder and vanishing inside the arena with him a few hours ago.

It was now that Sig emerged, Daxter dropping from his shoulder to dash to Jak's side. "How ya holding up Jak? Bored?"

"Understatement." He growled.

"Sorry buddy." Daxter jabbed his thumb at the arena. "There was just some hero work to be done in there. Sorry there were no sidekicks invited, but I'm sure you'll get over it." He clambered up to his shoulder. "Keeping watch over this spot was the only sidekick job we could think of."

Jak grabbed Daxter's head. "Um... Sig, mind telling me what's going on?"

Sig chuckled. "Sorry, Cherry. It's like the chili pepper said. You're stuck here for the time being, alright?"

Jak huffed and crossed his arms, placing a hand to his bare forehead. "Hasn't been glowing has it?"

"Not that we've seen. Torn told me we probably wouldn't hear from her." Sig shrugged as the blonde took a seat in his prescribed spot, Daxter shifting to sit in his lap.

"So what kind of work did you need me to do?" Jak inquired. "I mean... once I've completely 'guarded' this spot." He rolled his eyes.

"We'll, we're working on a project." Sig shrugged. "Torn said it would be best if you left Haven for now, so we called you in."

Jak sighed. "You can go ahead and say it. The project has something to do with Rayn. I'm not stupid, Sig." Sig chuckled. "I know full well that if you have my help, you'd be sending me into the heart of the storms out there to gather some shiney you located. If that was what the project was about, anyway."

"Well, I won't deny you're onto something there, Cherry. But I can't really give you the details now. Just sit tight. It is no lie that this spot needs to be guarded heavily."

"Sir!!" A male scream. Jak and Sig were on their feet in an instant. Sig's large hand pressed against Jak's chest. "Wait here." Jak huffed as Sig ran to a nearby house. Some yelling erupted, followed by the sounds of a struggle. Jak's weight shifted as though his feet were rooted to the spot, attempting to see in a window, or imagine what could be the commotion.

"Jak! Move!" Daxter screamed, jumping up and down on his shoulder. Jak turned slightly.

"Didn't you hear-!" He was cut off as a lithe elven woman careened into his middle, knocking him to the ground. Daxter tumbled a few feet away as the woman beared down on his partner. It was not a woman he knew. Long black hair which shaded half her face, and piercing eyes smiling wickedly at him. Her hands pressed against his chest, and an icy sensation flodded into his body, turning to fire as it shot through his limbs. He looked down to see the remainder of a glowing purple gem. He gave a roar and placed his forearm to her neck, slamming her into the ground next to him and swinging himself onto her.

"Rayn had better know what she's messing with, woman." He growled at her. "This is far too bold. You're lucky I've had my fill of blood lately, or you'd be dead right now."

The wickedness fled from her eyes and she now looked bravely up at him, sweat beginning to form on her brow. Sig barreled out of the house he had been investigating, Daxter riding on his shoulder guard. "Jak, you alright?"

Jak looked up at him and sighed, lifting his weight off of the girl, kicking her roughly onto her stomach and pulling her hands behind her back before dragging her to her feet. Similarly, a man was shoved from the house Sig had been in and kicked to the ground. He stood and began making a beeline toward Jak. Sig caught the back of his shirt and threw him back to the ground behind him. Small bits of glowing violet were left in the man's wake and shot toward the blonde. Jak growled as the bits shot into his arm and vanished into his body. He growled and threw the girl to Sig, who caught her and tossed her down next to the man.

"Damnit. They both got me. I don't know what to do." He looked to Sig.

"Calm down. Just take it easy. We're gonna sweep the city for more spies. If there are any more, we'll find them. We're going to interrogate these two, and we'll be back to decide our next step." Sig turned and picked the two agents up.

"But... Sig, she got eco into me! If I go crazy again, I don't want there to be people near me, or within my reach for that matter."

Daxter crawled up Jak's body and Sig chuckled. "Rememeber that this is a city of warriors, Jak. They can take care of themselves."

Jak plopped to the ground again. "Well, thanks Sig. Glad to hear that your city is capable of killing me. I feel so much better now."

"You should." Daxter confirmed as Sig vanished into the arena.

* * *

"How many were there?"

Sig sighed. "Only two, thank the Precursors. But I have a feeling Rayn was probing us. Seeing how much security we had on him." He crossed his arms.

"Is he still there?"

"Yeah. He's restless though. You know as well as I do how much Jak hates staying in one spot." Wastelander sighed. "She got some dark eco into him. A crystal, and another small amount. Should I purge him?"

"No. Now that she has him full of eco, she'll be able to see. We can't let her find out about this. If she does it'll put the whole plan in jeopardy. The more cautious she is, the harder it's gonna be to pull this off." He paused for a long moment. "Knowing Rayn... she'll probably only use this eco for reconnaisance. She lost communication with Jak for a short time, and now she'll want to know the situation." He pointed at Sig. "Get some of your people back on the streets. Empty streets will make her nervous. Keep Jak's goggles and headband for now. I want to know the instant that tattoo starts glowing. When it does, bring him to the jailhouse. You know what to do there, right?"

Sig nodded. "I hope this works. For Jak's sake."

"For all our sakes, Sig."

"And I really hope you know what you're doing, Torn." Sig gave a purposeful pause. "That girl will fall apart without Jak, as will the little chili pepper."

Torn sighed as he left. Ashelin put a hand on his shoulder. "We've come through things like this before, Torn. We'll do it again."

"I know. But there's so much more at stake than just the world, Ashelin. At least to us. We can't mess this up. For Jak's sake."

Ashelin chuckled and sat at his side, scooting close to him. "I think I see what's going on here." Torn looked at her, and her smile faded. "Jak has always been our go-to guy. Our all-purpose soldier, and a powerful one at that. Now that he isn't an asset, you're freaking out a bit."

Torn looked to the table. "A man's greatest weakness is his mind. Jak fell victim to it and we have to clean up after him for once instead of the other way around. It's no big deal."

Ashelin sighed. "Jak's always been the support beams of our resistances. Without him, they wouldn't have happened. It's time to show that our abilities as leaders are not dependant upon one man, Torn."

* * *

Semi-empty streets. As was to be expected this time of night. So why wasn't he in his apartment sleeping? She loked down. The rat. He was curled up in his lap. The stars were dim tonight, leaving the lamp posts throughout the city to light the dark streets.

He stood. Perhaps a little recon. His steps were halted as he was grabbed by the shoulder and spun roughly around, finding Sig's face staring back at him.

"Oh, Sig. I... didn't hear you come out." Jak stuttered.

"It's alright. Hey, you're done here. Come with me. Need to show you something." He waved for the elf to follow him.

Jak paused, but sighed and followed as Daxter yawned and clambered onto his shoulder. "What's going on?"

"Not too much. Just need to give you some information on an upcoming mission."

She smiled. This was almost too perfect.

Smile faded... was it too perfect?

"What kind of mission?" Jak inquired cautiously. They were walking into a jailhouse.

"I need you to deliver an urgent message."

"Really?" Jak inquired slyly. He paused. Daxter had leaped from his shoulder.

A powerful grip clamped onto his arm and he was roughly shoved into a cell. He yelped and growled as two waiting men grabbed his arms and clamped powerful shackles onto his wrists. Shackles were attached to chains which held his arms to the sides, pulling them tight. He writhed. "What the hell are you doing, Sig?"

"Oh yeah... you know what? I think I can take care of this on my own Jak." Daxter smirked and he was suddenly in his face, having climbed up Jak's front to sit on his chest. "Rayn, this is a message to you! If you ever want to use your weapon again, you will come to Spargus city tomorrow afternoon at noon, and come alone."

Jak laughed and writhed again in his restraints. "You honestly think these shackles can hold Jak? This is the Dark Eco master himself! I have no reason to obey you. You have no power over Jak. He is mine, and mine alone."

"You'll never own Jak, Rayn." Daxter growled angrily, holding a light crystal to his face. "We may not have power over him, but we have power over you." He paused, placing the crystal against Jak's chest. "Oh... and by the way... next time... hide the tattoo. It kinda gives you away." The crystal sunk into Jak's chest and he went limp in his restraints. Daxter dropped to the ground. "Oh yeah! Sticking it to the bad guys! That's what I'm all about!" He struck a pose. "Oh man, if Tess could've seen that."

"What in the hell?" Jak's eyes shot open and he glanced to his binds, moving his hands a small amount before turning angry dark eyes on Sig. "Um... someone wanna explain this?"

Daxter laughed. "Oh that! Well, Keira stopped by, you see and-!" Sig clapped his hand across the ottsel's small head and looked to Jak.

"Calm down. We had a little... incident..." Sig shrugged.

Jak relaxed and hung limply. "Damnit. Those dark eco bits they got into me?"

"Yeah but it's fine. We obviously got you under control." Daxter motioned to the restraints.

"So now what?" Jak inquired. "This isn't very comfortable."

"I know, but sit tight for a minute, Cherry. That crystal we gave you wasn't big enough to actually turn you into Light, so there is a chance that you could still have some dark eco in you. Just hang out here until we can get those eco-sensing gloves."

Jak waved his hands feebly. "Like I have a choice."

Sig chuckled and vacated, leaving Jak alone with the small ottsel. "I didn't hurt anyone, did I?"

Daxter breathed on his nails and buffed them against his chest. "Nah. I put you in your place. You went after Sig a couple times, but all I had to do was show off a few of my moves and Rayn backed down. You know... the usual stuff." Jak chuckled. It seemed refreshing to hear the ottsel's awkward commentary once again. "Oh it was great!" Daxter cried, jumping up and down before diving into one of his famous tales.

* * *

Rayn growled from her seat, flicking her headset back and forth before her face. An ultimatum. An odd move. And one that put her in a rather difficult position.

"Nothing I can't get out of." She jabbed her finger at the man at her side. "Jev, get me Locke's second in command. And round up the Clouds. I think I feel a storm coming on."

Jev rolled his eyes and gave a bow before vanishing. "I can't control Jak... but there is more than one way to harm the enemy."

* * *

"But just then, I tackled him into the cell, pushing Sig to safety! Shutting the doors behind me, I stared down Dark Jak. Just then, I leapt for the shackles and slammed them down on his hands, and Jak was done for!" Daxter smirked and Jak sighed, rolling his eyes.

"Well, I'm glad you took good care of me, Dax." He muttered. He wiggled slightly. "When is Sig gonna get back? They already did the glove thing. Why can't I be let loose? This hurts."

Daxter shrugged. "Oh get over it, ya big baby."

Jak glared as Sig entered. "Yo Sig, can we get a second pair of shackles?"

"Sorry for the wait, Cherries, but I have some bad news."

"Oh god, what now?" Jak growled.

"You're gonna have to stay in those overnight."

"You mean the shackles?! For god's sake, why?!" Jak wriggled.

"Look, the glove showed that the small crystal we gave you left a small amount of dark eco in you. Rayn can't control you, but she can influence you to do things. We don't want her taking that chance. And we don't have enough light crystals to waste a second one on this. Sorry, Cherry, but you're stuck."

Jak sighed. "Damnit. I don't want to do this all night." He looked up, but the large wastelander had already left. He looked down to Daxter. "Ugh."

The ottsel shrugged. "Oh well. I'll stay here with ya Jak." He wandered to Jak's feet and curled up, using his shoe as a pillow. "Night."

The elf gave a hefty sigh. "Easy for you to say."

The hours were long, having little to do but think. Moving his arms would bring stiffness and an ache in his muscles he knew would hurt much much more in a few days.

He wasn't looking forward to that.

The cell's dankness weighed heavily on him that night. There was an odd edge to the cell that he could only guess was intentional, knowing how much the Spargus citizens prided themselves on being warriors. Silence. No noice from the outside. All chains had been pulled taught, allowing for no noise. A chill swept through the cells that was unnatural. The heat outside would normally not allow for such temperature. Perhaps it was the spirits of those left to waste away in these cells, chilling more into their ranks. No sound, no warmth and only the now-warm feel of the uncaring shackles which bound his hands outward. A minor form of sensory deprivation.

The Wastelanders were an oddly frightening lot when they put their minds to it.

His head jerked to the side. A voice? Nothing but empty cells greeted his eyes. Even the guards had left the cells to stand watch outside. His eyes danced this way and that. The smallest inkling... almost a mere feeling in the back of his mind. Was this sound? A voice as he had first thought? He growled at its elusiveness.

"Jak...?"

A small feminine voice. One he barely recognized in the mousey way it was uttered. Terrified.

"Keira?" His voice was oddly difficult to articulate. He remained quiet.

"Jak... what... what happened?" He glanced around again. No one. There was no one. A flash of red caught his eyes.

His fingers dripped in blood. He blinked, shook his head and looked again. He looked up. The metal head nest. He feared to look down, though he couldn't resist. His dark eyes drew to the ground, where lay slain Krimzon Guards. Copper in his mouth and still he could not see Keira.

"The... the dream." He shook his head and pulled at the now-unseeable restraints. Skin shone a dull grey., and dark eco flashed around him like electricity. His eyes narrowed. "Dark eco... RAYN!" His voice mounted in a scream as he writhed once again in his shackles. "Let me out of this place!" An echo of his name, but he ignored it. Pressure on his shoulders. He fought it.

"JAK!"

Daxter swam into view before him, one paw clinging to each ear. "Stay with me buddy!" He smacked his cheek a bit.

"Dax! It's Rayn!"

Daxter raised a small eyebrow. "What? What's she doing?"

"I'm seeing... I see the metal head nest... I remember! The... the first night that Rayn... that she took control." Jak's lungs heaved as his mind panicked. Teeth gritted. "She's showing me that night again."

"Pull yourself together! Sig is on his way." Daxter cried, slapping his cheek again.

"What can he do?! Rayn is inside my mind." Head vigorously shook back and forth. "The only thing that can stop her is light eco, and we don't have any crystals!" He paused. "But... you put a crystal into me before... didn't you?"

Daxter paused before nodding. "Yeah... so?"

Dark eyes closed. The pool was only about half-full... but perhaps that was enough. _I've been quite helpless until now Rayn. But I can actually do something this time. Get the hell out of my head!_

Daxter fled from his chest as the room erupted in a soft white glow. Tentacles burst from the back and he stood straight. Calm. And still.

Daxter worked his way back to his feet as Sig thundered down the steps and stopped at his side.

Glow vanished, and Jak hung limply from his restraints once again. Sig sighed. "Well... I suppose if the crystal before didn't purge him, that sure did."

Daxter raised an eyebrow at him as the large elf began making his way back to the stairs. "It'll be over tomorrow Jak. I promise."

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Bijin: Alright! Chapter 9 Done! Only two more chapters to go! Review and lemme know what you think.

**Next Chapter: Exchange**

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	10. Exchange

Bijin: This one took a while to get up. XD Well, here's chapter 10! Second to last chapter! Time to wind down this thing. Enjoy!

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**Chapter 10: Exchange**

"Wakey wakey, sleeping beauty." A soft rapping upon his forehead, which ached excessively. He groaned in response and attempted to roll over; only to be stopped by the two taught chains. "Come on, Sunshine. Up and at 'em."

Jak grumbled at Daxter's perkiness and huffed at his inability to shoo the ottsel away. "Ugh... what time is it?"

"Almost noon. We let you sleep in a bit. But no more time for sleeping, deadline is approaching." Daxter smiled and skittered over his arm to unlock the left shackle. "Time to get a move on." Jak's arm fell to his side and an icy pain erupted in his now quivering shoulder muscles. His other arm was unlocked and the same pain hit him. He groaned and hunched over slightly.

"Remind me to thank Sig for this pain later."

"As long as you remind me to bring popcorn." Daxter pointed a finger at him and clambered up his body to his shoulder. At which, Jak gave a yelp and attempted to duck the joint out from under his small friend. Daxter laughed sheepishly, and stood for a few seconds (much to Jak's dismay) in indecision. Finally, he decided that twas too much work to walk at Jak's side. Placing one foot to the right and left of his head, he braced himself behind Jak's hair and gripped his ears like reins. "Mush!" He cried, wiggling Jak's ears.

Jak grabbed the small animal from his neck and placed him on the ground. "Gimme a break, Dax. You have no idea how much that hurts."

"Oh suck it up." Daxter scoffed, waving a hand at him. Jak nudged him to the ground with his foot as Sig entered.

"So now what?"

"Sorry about this Cherry." Sig muttered. Jak took a step back.

"Wow. I do not like the sound of that." Blond looked to the two men at his sides as they moved toward him, closing in like predator on prey. Jak shrank against the wall. "Sig! What the...?" Arms were grabbed again, but this time pulled behind his back and cuffed there. "OUCH! What is with you and handcuffs?!"

"That's what _she_ said." Daxter chuckled quietly. Jak gently stepped on him.

"Sorry Cherry. We have one more step to getting Rayn off you, and you gotta be restrained." Sig shrugged.

Daxter hopped into Jak's vision. "You know, I bet if we brought Keira here, she'd love to have a part of this whole... 'handcuff Jak' thing... ya know?" A foot hit his stomach and he fell back. "Oh come on! You're thinking the same thing, I'm just saying it." He turned and retreated to Sigs shoulder.

Jak shook his head, but whatever he opened his mouth to say would have to wait. A man came barreling down the stairs. "Sig! Rayn's been spotted. She's about a mile out. She looks to be alone."

"I don't trust that idea one bit. But thanks for the info." Sig motioned to the two men at Jak's sides. "Come on. Time to end this."

Jak rolled his eyes as he was urged forward. "You have to be so ominous?"

"If you knew what we were about to attempt, you would be in the same mood." Sig grumbled quietly.

"A clue to that affect would certainly be appreciated, Sig." Jak hinted loudly. Sig seemed to ignore him.

The walk up the stairs and into the blinding light of midday was a solemn and silent one. Even Daxter remained quiet. There was a foreboding sense of terror which seemed to hang upon each shoulder. though he was cuffed and imprisoned, his walk seemed to be the steadiest of all. The two guards moved together clumsily, urging him at awkward intervals. Sig's body was hunched in thought, as though trying to solve some agonizing puzzle. Daxter's eyes seemed anxious, not wanting to settle on one thing or another. He looked to Sig, then Jak, giving a long stare to the latter. Blues moved to the front again, and small twitches of his head told Jak his eyes continued their roaming there.

Whatever was coming was certainly keeping everyone concerned.

If he didn't know better, Jak might have thought they were preparing for a funeral or occasion of mourning.

The city streets were once again nearly barren, a few stragglers dotted the entryways of homes, but no one remained at the market, where they proceeded to stop. Not far from the 'well-guarded' spot from yesterday. The group turned to face the road which lead to the city's entrance and paused. The silence was deafening, and maddening for the blond who had little to no understanding of current happenings. From a distance, three sets of eyes glued themselves to Jak's form and waited until a single person emerged from the entrance road. A small thin figure, wearing a professionally seductive suit and a thin silver headset. Jak's eyes locked to her form and a glare ensured immediately.

"So good to see you again, Sig! Daxter too!" Rayn paused as she came to a halt a few meters away. "I would extend the same greetings to Jak, but..." A sly giggle. "I see you quite often... don't I?"

Jak writhed against the two men holding him, though was easily restrained. "Bitch." Jak spat.

Rayn waved a hand. "Now that's no way to speak to me, Jak. I am your mistress, after all."

"I'm no one's pet." Jak growled dangerously.

Rayn gave a full-fledged laugh this time. "Oh, I beg to differ." She looked to Sig. "Now what do I have to do to get my precious Jak back? Some manner of payment I assume?"

"We didn't call you here on ransom, Rayn." Sig stated evenly. Daxter hopped to the ground in front of the large Wastelander.

"But if you are offering, Baby..." Sig kicked the small animal out of the way.

"We called you here to negotiate the purchase of that headset you are wearing."

Rayn fiddled with the headset. "This old thing?" She twirled the microphone around her finger a few times. "See... that's where we run into a problem. Jak and this headpiece are a set. You can't separate them, they lose their value." She stood straight, as though throwing off a playful facade. "There is no amount of money, manpower, or treasure that can make me give Jak up. He is the perfect weapon!" She seemed to have stolen the mood from terrorizingly silent, to morbidly gleeful. So sudden was the change that the group was virtually helpless to stop her mini-tirade. "The enhanced muscles... the lightning reaction time, and the utter power with which he fulfills my orders, he is beautiful in the art of killing. Dark eco does wonders for the mind, does it not?"

Jak growled once again.

"Baron Praxis created him through a series of experiments... bent on creating a weapon strong enough to withstand the metal head armies. What makes you think I would give up a weapon that can tear through mere human armies like tissue paper? They are much more fragile than metal heads." She waved a hand. "Not to mention the link to you. His link to those in power makes him untouchable. You wouldn't dare harm your dear Jak, would you?" She seemed to take hold of herself, straightening a fold in her sleeve cuff. "Now, if you'll be so kind as to return my Jak, I'll be on my way." She adjusted her microphone and waited for a moment.

"No deal, Rayn." Sig smirked. "He's not going anywhere. And neither are you."

"Oh, I beg to differ on that as well. Hey Jev?"

There was a pause as though the group was attempting to find out who among them bore such a name. But twas no an ally, but an enemy that responded. A small thin man slinking out of a vacant house. He ran to her side and stood at attention. "Would you mind gathering my men? I would so like to get my weapon and go, but these people simply can't take their grubby hands off of him. Oh!" She paused. "They are already here."

From every nook and cranny in Spargus emerged men and women, young and old. Every able-bodied breed one could imagine, numbering in the hundreds they gathered, climbing from the rocky sea shore, and emerging from atop roofs. In the marketplace they gathered, surrounding their mistress and staring down the meager helping of people Spargus had sent. "Men?" Rayn called over them. "Fetch!"

Sig smiled. "Spargus city! At the ready!"

The arena doors flew open at their backs. The Spargus population, armed and prepared to fight, poured from the arena. Spears and guns, swords and daggers were held to the sky in their cry against the invading force. The flash of red could be seen as Krimzon Guard joined their ranks, their own staticy yells joining the battlecry. From a house to Jak's right ran three familiar figures.

"Torn... Ashelin... Keira!" Jak whispered. Keira smirked and tossed her wrench up and down a few times.

"You don't think my skill with this thing is limited to cars do you?" She smirked at the crowd of gang members.

No more words were exchanged. The Spargus citizens overtook the gang's grouping, the majority staying to fight, and those less loyal to Rayn's cause turning tail and heading back toward the exit. Jak was held confined to his spot as the battle ensued. His dark eyes fled this way and that, searching for the young woman to show herself again. Keira remained at his right, Torn at his front, and Ashelin at his left.

It happened suddenly. Something that took him several long seconds to realize. A powerful heat at his back, like fire was burning him. Arms holding the fire to the area between his shoulder blades. Arms that snaked from his front, underneath his own bound arms. Arms that were attached to a small body now molded intimately against his. Body attached to a head, whose mouth was locked around his. He didn't react. He couldn't. Through a combination of shock at the suddenness of it and the pain of the fire at his back, he was trapped in her arms. Rayn pulled away and ran her hand along his face.

"That oughtta do it." She muttered quietly.

She vanished from his sight as she was tackled from the side. "I'll scratch your eyes out of your head!" Keira now sat upon Rayn's stomach, wrists held off by Rayn's hands as she attempted to act upon her proclamation.

Jak was too busy to fully appreciate Keira's valiant effort. Fire was hitting him more now. Fire on his hand. Fire at his foot. Separate burning entities, from different directions. Fire on his head, fire on his thigh.

_They all... they all have dark eco with them!_ _They have enough to turn me into Dark... then turn me again if Keira and the others manage to turn me Light again._ He looked to the ground, as though attempting to pull a solution from the grainy sands at his feet. _Wait... Sig had me bound. Which means... they have the means to counter Dark... at least once._ The two guards moved about at his sides, fighting off enemies and attempting to keep an eye on Jak at the same time. Jak's eyes whizzed about the battlefield. The fighting seemed to be focused around the market area. Which meant...

Jak's arms tore from the guards' grips and though they made feeble attempts to reclaim him, they were quickly distracted by the oncoming enemies. Jak felt fires sting him like bees as dark eco was shoved into his body as he passed. He reached the center of the market area... the center of the battle. Stores were opened wide inside his body and they began to call. Dark eco... anywhere it could be found nearby. It was wrenched from canisters and hands. From within sacks and from the ground where it had been dropped in the brawl. The stores in his body ate hungrily, filling his body with the warm fire, and his awareness blurred as it did normally. He felt a pinch in the back of his mind, and he was lost.

"JAK!" Keira's distraction left Rayn enough room to shove her to the ground. Rayn got to her feet and dashed to Jak's side. His arms flexed and the binds were broken, claws now free and glimmering in the sun.

"Help them out, Jak." Rayn commanded happily. Jak smirked and vanished into the action. It was as if his activity sent a shockwave through the battle and all fighting slowed to a stop. Enemies backed away, forming a circle and trapping the Spargus and KG members within. Caged in with the beast.

Jak looked back and forth before making a break for Sig. Claws scraped against his chest piece, and Sig grabbed the next hand that came at him, aimed at his vulnerable side. A head butt disoriented Jak for a split second. Long enough for a small form to tackle him from the side. Torn shoved a light eco crystal into his back, and Jak screamed. His grey skin did not fade. His claws remained and tore at the earth in his blind rage. Torn wrapped an arm across his throat and pulled him up close enough to whisper into his ear. Jak yowled angrily and threw Torn off, following him to the ground. A handful of his shirt front was taken and he was savagely thrown into a pile of crates to the side.

Torn lay still.

A bullet grazed his cheek. Jak's black eyes turned on Ashelin and he make a break for her. She reached into her pocket as he ran at her. Her small body sidestepped, though his hand caught her as he passed. Powerful grip was established on her arm and she was thrown to the ground, his weight coming down upon her. Claws were raised to strike, aiming for her face. Ashelin grunted and another crystal was shoved into his gut. He gagged. His claws sunk into the ground at her side, breath coming in heaves. She pulled herself up to whisper in his ear as well. Jak sat straight and brought his hand powerfully across her face.

Ashelin went limp.

Rayn smiled as Jak stood. "We brought enough eco to turn Jak Dark three times and he absorbed it all at once. Do you honestly think your silly little crystals are going to turn him now?!"

Jak turned on Sig. The large armor-wearing man took a wide stance. He growled, goading the young man to come at him. Jak obliged and raced at him like a football player. Sig caught the charge and a small orange form swerved between their legs, clambering onto his shoulder and pressing a small gem into Jak's neck. Jak screamed once again and Sig held him tight, whispering in his ear, and released again.

Fire and ice battled in his body. The feeling tore at his stomach and shot down his arms and legs. The world spun and the pinch in the back of his mind elevated to an ache. He tore at the earth in his rage; swung at anyone who dared approach.

Rayn ran to his side. "Get ahold of yourself!" She demanded angrily. Claws swiped across her chest, drawing blood and she buckled, yelping. "Ah! Damnit!" Jak's feet moved, though she screamed for them to stop. Her angry demands fell upon an ignorant mind. Jak took one step after another, slowly making his way toward the central market, the whispers of his friends echoing in the back of his mind.

_Go guard that spot._

Slowly he began to come to himself. The blurry image of the market, like a dim and darkened dream. There were people all around, though they eyed him with suspicion. All was still, though there were a few encouraging shouts made in his favor.

"STOP!"

Jak's feet halted their movement. He urged them forward, though he did not budge.

"You will obey me, Jak!" Rayn shouted from behind. She stood, pulling her shirt together and holding it in place. "You will listen! You are mine!"

"Not anymore!" Keira's form shot from the sidelines and plowed into Jak's back, forcing him forward several steps. "Daxter, now!"

Jak's senses came back in a flash. White erupted from his feet as a light eco vent opened beneath him. All was clear. The dark eco fled his body and he could see Rayn, a panic in her eyes that he reveled in. The plan came into focus. Rayn was vulnerable... and he was full of light eco.

Now to destroy that headset.

Wings spread behind him, tensing angrily and his normally straight lips formed a sly smile. Hands were raised above his head and clapped loudly. Things around him slowed to a crawl. He flew around the outer rim of the city, sealing doors, locking exits. Sealing off any method of escape. He returned to the central area and removed the headset as time came to its normal speed once again. He smiled down at Rayn as she stared up at him in disbelief.

"Didn't know he could do that, did you?" Daxter shouted from his place at the lever which opened the vent. Jak smiled and his hand tightened around the set. Rayn smirked a small amount.

"Jak, stop!" Keira had a hold of his glowing arm. "Jak, don't destroy it! You'll kill yourself!" She ripped the device from his hands and backed away as Jak looked down at Rayn.

Her smile was gone, but so was the panic induced by his sudden display of power. "Well done Jak." She muttered quietly. "I think everyone can see why my father and I long after you so." She waved her hand. "Now!"

Ten ropes. Neck, wrists, ankles, middle, wings... all were caught in loops of rope. Jak writhed, wings spreading and lifting off the ground. They attempted to pull him down, though only succeeded when the light eco in his body ran out. By then the fight had ended. Spargus and the KG had begun to round up the enemies and their leader, the genius crime lord Rayn, was gone. Jak sighed and looked to Keira, who smiled.

"WE DID IT!" Daxter's ropey body slammed into Jak's face as he hugged his best friend, small head buried in the yellow green locks. "I knew I had it in me!"

"Yeah, I'm glad you're so dependable." Jak grumbled good-naturedly. He pulled the ottsel from his face as Sig grabbed him from behind and lifted him from the ground in a hug.

"Great work, Cherries! You did great, Daxter."

Daxter hopped to the ground and buffed his nails again. "Like you need to say it." He paused. "Though please do... again and again."

Torn was on his feet again. Lacerations ran along his arms and torso, but he stood proudly, mussing Jak's hair with no words. A second hand appeared on his shoulder. Ashelin smiled in a way that only she could, congratulating him without her voice. She and Torn both had a way of doing that. When things truly were accomplished, they had little to say, but much to communicate.

Another mouth molded to his. Though it took him a second, her returned the kiss with passion, gripping Keira tight to his form. Keira pulled away and hung on for dear life. "You did it Jak!" She handed him the headset. "Here. You may want to keep this safe." Jak smiled and pushed it back into her hands.

"You keep it." Keira blinked at him. "Rayn used it to control me, and we all know you're the only person who does that." He placed his hands to her face and kissed her.

Daxter smiled. "Alright, let's let the two lovebirds catch up on their making out. Let's get outta here!"

It was time to head home.

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Bijin: Alright! Climax finished! All that's left is the epilogue! I hope you enjoyed this as much as I did writing it. It was fun. See you for the epilogue! Review!!

**Next Chapter: Release  
**


	11. Release

Bijin: Epilogue time! I hope you guys have enjoyed reading this as much as I did writing it. Twas fun and a bit slow at times, and while I don't personally think it is my best work, it is still a fun and a little bit psychotic story. Hope you liked the ending and here is the extra ending!

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**Chapter 11: Release**

"Oh yeah! We are getting drunk tonight!" Daxter announced as the group prepared themselves for the party at hand at the Naughty Ottsel.

Jak sighed and sipped at his drink, looking to Torn and Ashelin across the table. It was surprising to find that Daxter had put the drinking party off for a full two nights after the defeat of Rayn. Though he had insisted that the timing was crucial. Come to later find out it was simply due to them having to express order more alcohol for the party. Jak sat at a booth, Keira leaning heavily into his chest as she enjoyed her own drink. Torn and Ashelin sat similarly across the table from them and Jak was the first to speak.

"So... what all happened the other night?" Jak put a hand to his head. "The details are all a little fuzzy."

"Well, we captured most of the people who invaded Spargus. The only ones that we didn't capture were Rayn's loyals; the people she had before she started gathering members of other gangs." Torn shrugged. "She and her loyals escaped in the confusion of you going nuts when they threw those ropes on you." Jak shrugged sheepishly. "Other than that, you know what happened. We got you into the light eco vent, and voila. Purge."

Jak rubbed his neck. "You both alright? I heard I did some damage."

Ashelin put a hand to her cheek. "I'm fine. I was only out for a moment. And if you think I can't handle a little bruise like this, you underestimate me beyond forgiveness."

Jak shrugged. "Sorry either way." He looked to Torn.

"Just bumps and scratches. Same as with Ashelin. We're both fine." He smirked. "Though I may have to kick your ass for hurting my girl."

Jak smirked. "Bring it on, Tattoo-boy."

Keira leaned in to whisper, poking his forehead. "What does that make you?"

Jak ignored her and smiled. "What kind of challenge were you thinking?"

Torn smiled and snapped his fingers. Daxter looked up from his place with Tess. "Hey fuzzball! Get us some shot glasses."

Jak downed the rest of his drink and pushed the glass aside. "Oh you've just made a grave error, Torn. You forget that I spent two years in prison drinking the hardest stuff Haven has to offer. You're going down."

"And I am an ex-soldier, where drinking competitions are the bread and butter of proving your worth, so bring it on." The shot glasses were delivered, accompanied by two large bottles.

"Oooh! Tess! It's starting!" Daxter yelled, hopping onto the table's end and taking a seat. Tess appeared seconds later, a large bowl of popcorn in her hands as she cozied up next to Daxter. "Too bad Sig had to get back to his duties, or we'd get to see two shows tonight." He popped a few kernels into his mouth as Jak raised an eyebrow at him. "Oh come on! You two drinking yourselves silly? I have to see that!"

Keira scoffed. "Oh no you don't! I've barely had any time with Jak tonight. Once I lose him to the alcohol I won't get any time with him at all."

Jak looked to her, but said nothing as usual. Daxter spoke up. "Oh come on, Keira! You'll have him afterward! I'm sure he'll be very agreeable when he's drunk." His eyebrows wiggled suggestively.

Jak's face went red. Keira smirked and pulled something from her belt. "No! They can have their drinking contest later. Jak's mine for now." She adjusted the item in question and Jak suddenly sat straight.

"What the...?" He stood rigidly from his seat and began to march awkwardly away from the table before stopping and turning. Keira smiled and patted the headset.

"I like this thing. Though I need some practice. He's hard to steer." She followed him over and smiled, releasing his mind and sighing. Jak shrugged and leaned against the table she had stopped him at. She leaned into his arms and he encircled her. Torn looked at Jak, a sideways frown on his face.

Jak shrugged, eyes communicating his willing helplessness. "I certainly hope the novelty of this thing wears off after a few days." Pinch in the back of his mind and he was suddenly bent over Keira, one arm supporting her back and the other supporting her shoulders. The pinch left and he smiled down at his controller. "Just a little perverted, don't you think?" He inquired of her.

Keira wrapped her arms around his neck and shrugged. "I didn't make you do anything too bad, yet."

Jak shrugged and kissed her.

Drinking would come later. It was time to purge the taste of Rayn from his lips.

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Bijin: Eh, short. But whatever. Either way... voila! Finito! Leave me a message and let me know what you think! See ya later for my Wallflower fic!


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